Deadly Glare
by Darifica
Summary: Although he couldn't deny that he, for some reason, was interested in the transfer student, Sasuke never expected to fall in love. Neither did Naruto expect to become hated by the female students of Konoha High. It all began with a few glares...
1. What's His Problem?

**Hey minna-san! I just wanted to let you know that this is my very first fanfiction and it's a SasuNaru one.**

**Warning: There's going to be boyxboy (SasuNaru), cursing and OOCness so be prepared for that. This is no place for homophobes!**

**Naruto: Why am I here?**

**Pacifica-San: Why shouldn't you be? *Smirk***

**Sasuke: Oi what's the dobe doing here?**

**Naruto: Sasuke you're in on this!**

**Sasuke: ... No.**

**Pacifica-San: *Giggle* Oh I just wanted to hand out some fanservice *Wink***

**Naruto: What do you mean..?**

**Sasuke: *Jumps Naruto* Now that we're here we should...**

**Naruto: *Blush* Teme! What are you doing?!**

**Pacifica-San: Heehee you guys enjoy yourselves ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sasuke, Naruto or the series Naruto itself.**

**Btw the first chapter is going to be really short. **

**Now let's get started on the story!**

**_Chapter 1: 'What's his problem?'_**

**Naruto's PoV:**

As he turned his head around the blonde could hear voices and footsteps outside of the classroom approaching. It didn't take him much thinking to do to realize just who was going to enter the room a few seconds later. As predicted; The mighty Sasuke Uchiha opened the classroom door and walked in, followed by a heap of fan girls.

"When will they give up already... So annoying." Naruto thought and sighed as the girls kept calling out to the bored-looking, black-haired male.

Then Naruto noticed that familiar look on Sasuke's face. He was glaring, at Naruto.

"What a surprise", Naruto sarcastically thought and rolled his eyes while turning around to look out through the slightly dirty window again.

It was always like this. Ever since the day Naruto transferred to Konoha High School that guy had been bothering him. He seemed to have something against Naruto, although they had never spoken to each other even once. It was strange, but what was worse than that was...

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by an angry voice directed to him.

- Hey, Naruto. Don't think you're all that just because Sasuke is looking your way. There are other guys who want to fight him too, but no matter what he won't lose to the likes of _you._

He recognized that voice all too well. It belonged to a rather bad-tempered, pink-haired girl. Her name was Sakura and her hobby was to make Naruto's life miserable.

- When did I say I wanted to fight him? Naruto asked and looked at her with a questioning expression.

- Why else would he glare at you like that if you haven't challenged him? Duh.

- I don't know what that guy is thinking and I'm not sure I want to know either..., Naruto replied.

- You! Don't you dare insult my Sasuke-kun another voice, belonging to a bleached blonde girl called Ino stated.

- I wasn't, I swear. I was just telling the truth, Naruto replied.

- Humph, was the sudden, arrogant sound the black-haired boy made, while he sat down on a chair a bit away from the blonde boy.

The girls threw a fast glare at Naruto, before turning their backs towards him to idolize the clearly irritated Sasuke.

Naruto gritted his teeth, but he didn't say anything, as usual. He didn't want to draw unwanted attention by acting immature, so he kept silent. Even so the girls wouldn't leave him alone.. No _that guy_ wouldn't stop freaking glaring at him! Just what had he done to deserve this?!

"Oh well, maybe he will stop glaring at me eventually.. I mean, what's the point of making someone you don't even know go through hell and not even say one word? That's right. Uchiha has never said anything to me, the bastard only glares and makes those arrogant sounds and then that's it" Naruto thought while scratching his head irritatedly.

This time his thoughts were interrupted by his friend Kiba who slapped him lightly, in a friendly manner at the back of his head, hard enough to make him return to reality.

- Yo, what's up? Kiba asked cheerfully, as usual.

- Nothing much, just the usual crap.

- Oh, is Uchiha being freaky again?

- Pretty much, yeah.

- He really hates you, doesn't he. Maybe it's because of the big ass glasses? Kiba teased.

Naruto only snorted as a response.

Kiba shrugged and then turned around to greet the rest of their friends who had just entered the room, while Naruto was once again left in thought. He just couldn't figure out what that Uchiha guy's problem could be.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

This day turned out to be, of course, like any other day. He was constantly surrounded by those annoying girls, who kept blabbering although he clearly wasn't listening. He felt like hitting them, but even he wouldn't hit a girl. It wasn't strange that the girls were so crazy about him though. He was known to be the strongest fighter in the whole school, intelligent and not to mention, very handsome. Even so, his attitude wasn't the best, he would often tell a girl to get the fuck away from him because he was having a bad day. But since that mostly made the girls go even more gaga instead of disappearing from his sight, he decided he'd rather not say anything at all.

Then he noticed a blonde who was sitting a few meters away from him.

Sasuke thought to himself: "It's that transfer student again. It pisses me off, but somehow I can't seem to get him out of my mind, ever since the first time he walked into the classroom and introduced himself. He looked silly with those big glasses and messy blonde hair, but I still couldn't stop staring.. Seriously, what's wrong with me?".

In his frustration, he suddenly noticed that he was still staring at the glasses boy. He hadn't even noticed that those annoying girls, Sakura and Ino, were for some reason threatening the boy.

- I wasn't, I swear. I was just telling the truth, were the words uttered by the transfer student.

Sasuke became curious what he was talking about, but decided to play cool. After all, he had never said a word to the boy before, so instead of saying anything he sat down.

- Humph, was the sound that he unconsciously made.

Naruto Uzumaki... There was something about that guy that made Sasuke interested and so he decided to find out more about him.


	2. Eyes Of The Dead

_**Chapter 2: 'Eyes of the dead'**_

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto woke up as the alarm set off. He turned around in bed and took a glance at the alarm clock before tiredly clicking the on/off button. It was 6:45. He sat up slowly and got out of bed. The still sleepy Naruto went into the kitchen to have breakfast. As he waited for the ramen to become hot enough his mind wandered off to 3 months ago:

_- Naruto-kun, your aunt wants you to listen to us for a minute. We have an announcement to make, said the smiling husband of Minami Tachibana, Satoshi._

_- Oh, what's up Satoshi-san? _

_Naruto had stopped eating and turned to look at the man. Then Minami, Naruto's aunt entered the kitchen._

_- Actually, we're planning to move to the village where your mother and of course me too were born. It's called Konoha Village and it's a bit away from here. Satoshi and I wanted to know if you will be okay with it because it would mean that you have to say goodbye to your friends here.._

_Naruto looked at his aunt in shock. _

_- Wow, this is sudden. I guess I don't mind though.. I don't have any close friends here anyway. But what about Yuiko, will she be alright? Naruto said, looking a bit worried._

_- Well, that's part of the reason we're moving. Your cousin has grown up to be a fine woman, she even found herself a husband and believe me, we're very proud of her as her parents. But we also think that now is a good time to move because Yuiko has become able to take care of herself. I'm sure she won't mind us living a little further away from her and her husband, Satoshi said._

_- I suppose you're dying to know why we've come up with this idea all of a sudden and to tell you the truth, I was offered a job as an English teacher in Konoha High School, the school I used to attend! the beaming Minami stated._

_- That's great auntie! I get it now, Naruto smirked, seemingly proud of himself. _

_- Thank you Naruto-kun. If it's really okay with you we'll be moving next month._

*****Beep*

The sudden sound of the microwave made Naruto fall backwards in surprise. His elbow hit the table behind him and he grunted in pain.

- Gee, why did I think back on that day again? Naruto asked himself aloud and then walked over to take the ramen out, rubbing his elbow.

Later, as the blonde boy was about to leave to go to school he stopped and turned around to pick up a pair of round glasses on a table in the living room.

"Can't forget these" he thought.

Naruto arrived at school earlier than planned. After checking the time he shrugged and went to get changed for P.E. Just like he predicted the changing room was empty. After getting changed he went to the basketball court to wait for the others to arrive. He didn't walk for a long time until he saw a black-haired person approach him. When he saw who it was he sighed inwardly.

"Not Uchiha again.." he thought.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

"Okay, I'm going to do this now. I'm going to talk to him.." Sasuke thought as he closed in on the blonde boy who had stopped walking.

He walked up to Naruto and stopped right in front of him. They stood there, quietly watching each other for about a minute. Then Naruto said:

- Um.. Hi?

- ...

- ...

- Hi.

With that Sasuke walked past the blonde boy, leaving him wondering why Sasuke had decided to suddenly act normal, well _almost _normal. He did seem awfully abrupt and arrogant, but he couldn't help it. The raven haired boy had never acted friendly in his entire life. He didn't know where to start. He thought a 'hi' would be good enough for a start.

Shortly later the other students arrived, along with a silver-haired teacher holding a perverted book in his hand and who had a mask covering half of his face.

- Kakashi-sensei? Naruto said in shock.

- Who else? The silver-haired teacher replied, smiling at the pointless statement.

- Why are you in time..? the blonde boy said, still shocked.

- Oh, well as you know we're playing basketball today. But I'm going to have to end the lesson earlier than usual because I have a meeting to attend. So I decided to come in time today, surprised?

- Very.. Wait, so we get to leave earlier?? Yay! the blonde boy shouted with a big grin.

- Will you shut up already? You're so loud.

Sasuke watched Naruto as he went to greet the one who just told him to shut up.

- Hey Shikamaru! Did you hear?

- Yeah.. I was right here you know, the lazy student replied.

- Everyone's attention please! Let's start the lesson, Kakashi shouted.

After class:

Sasuke had been secretly watching the blonde boy during the P.E lesson. As they were in the changing room he was still paying attention to his every action.. (A/N: No supposed perverted thoughts xD)

- That was fun! Naruto said.

- Yeah, it was. I totally beat you, Kiba grinned.

- Hell no you didn't! You only beat me once, I beat you three times Kiba!

- I was just joking. It's always fun to see how you take everything so personally, you big dork, Kiba laughed at the pouting blonde.

- Very funny. Anyway where to go now when we have free time? Naruto asked.

- Let's ask Uchiha! said Chouji, a food-loving, chubby guy.

- Chouji... Shikamaru sweat dropped.

Sasuke, who had been secretly listening to their conversation, turned surprised around to look at them for a second before he looked away. He was about to leave the changing room when he felt someone grabbing his arm...

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto suddenly felt irritated at the dark-haired boy's arrogance. He felt like he should let the guy see how it's like to have friends, though he didn't know why he cared. Before he knew it he had grabbed the Uchiha's arm.

"Oh no.. What did I just do??" Naruto thought to himself, but then he shook his head and said:

- Hey Uchiha, why don't you come with us to a coffee shop? You can't possibly have any plans during school time, can you?

To Naruto's frustration he received a glare as a response. He was about to say never mind when Kiba said:

- Yeah, come on!

Kiba and the others dragged a half-resisting Sasuke with them to a nearby coffee shop.

At the coffee shop the boys talked about everything, from school to games and music styles. The whole time Sasuke looked rather uncomfortable and said nothing. Naruto wondered if he really didn't like to be around people. He stared at Sasuke for a while until Lee, a hyperactive boy with very thick eyebrows and black, pot-like hair accidentally brushed his arm against Naruto's, causing Naruto to jump a little of surprise and return to reality. He realized he was blushing after staring at the anti-social boy for too long.

"Damn, why am I blushing??" he thought frustratedly before he pushed away all of his thoughts and joined in on the carefree conversation the others were having. Luckily none of them had noticed him spacing out.

That night Naruto had a nightmare. The past haunted him:

_- Get away from me! Why do you do this to me?! No.. Megumi.. You killed Megumi! She never did anything wrong..._

_Minami was screaming and crying at Naruto after accidentally looking into his eyes for a long time._

_- Those eyes.. So much alike Onee-san..._

_Naruto hated when this happened. He didn't know what to do. _

"_I better leave her alone for now" he thought as he went outside for a walk to clear his mind._

_As he slowly walked through the park he thought:_

"_I guess there's no helping it. It pains my auntie to look at me and it pains me to see her like that. I have no other choice now..."_

_When he got back inside he went straight to Satoshi's office, next to his bedroom. He knocked twice on the wooden door._

_- Come in!_

_He took a deep breath and stepped inside. _

_- Satoshi-san... I have to talk to you._

_- What's wrong, Naruto-kun? Is it about Minami's actions a while ago? About that, I'm sor..._

_- Well.. Sort of yes. There's no need to apologize though Satoshi-san. I understand why she blames me and it's really okay._

_- Naruto-kun.. Satoshi said with a worried expression._

_- After all I was the cause of my parents' death._

_- Don't say that! How many times do I have to tell you..._

_- Let me finish, please Satoshi-san, Naruto said with a pleading, sad expression._

_- Okay, fine. Go ahead._

_- I know very well that it helps to talk about things like this instead of holding it all in and I hope you want to listen to the story out of my perspective. I don't wish to steal away your valuable time though Satoshi-san, so interrupt me if I do so. _

_Before Satoshi could reply Naruto who already knew what he was going to say continued:_

_- When I was 5 I was such a curious kid. I always got myself into danger and my mom always had to apologize on my behalf. Of course, back then I didn't know that. I just wanted to explore. I know it might sound strange, but I actually remember a lot from back then although it was 11 years ago. I remember being very interested in nature and anything colorful. So anyway this one day I was walking with my mom on our way home from kindergarden._

_Naruto had a serious expression, a shadow forming in his eyes as he remembered that awful day that had haunted him the past years. He gulped and continued:_

_- I saw a bright blue butterfly on the other side of the road so I let go of my mom's hand and ran to catch it. My mom was running after me and I could hear her scream at the same time as I heard the sound of a bus approaching. I still really wanted to catch that butterfly so I crossed the road... Just before the bus drove past. When I turned around to see why the screaming stopped.. my mom was.._

_Naruto shivered and held the tears back._

_- The bus driver stopped, of course. He came out looking all pale and called the ambulance. Mom.. she died in the hospital only 2 hours after she got there and later that month my dad couldn't stand being left alone with me so he committed suicide. It was all because of a butterfly.. No because of me, Naruto said with an unsteady voice._

_No one said anything for two minutes before Satoshi broke the silence:_

_- Naruto-kun.. I had no idea that you held such terrible feelings bottled up.. But it was not your fault. You were just a clueless child. You can't keep blaming yourself like this.. It makes your aunt sad too. She doesn't mean what she says when she starts panicking. Sometimes she just can't help but feel that she needs to blame something, someone. Minami does not think that you're at fault Naruto-kun. It's just that you remind her so much of Megumi-san._

_- I know that she doesn't mean it, Naruto replied._

"_I know.. But hearing that only makes me feel even more at fault. She **should **blame me and so should Satoshi-san." Naruto thought to himself. Out loud he said:_

_- Well anyway, what I really came to talk to you about is that I would like to ask for your permission to let me have my own apartment in that village we're moving to. Nothing fancy of course, just a small, simple apartment for one person. I think you know why I'm asking this.._

_- You hate seeing your aunt in pain, don't you? Satoshi smiled. Alright, I think I get it. You want to give your aunt some space, both for her sake and your own. If that's the case then I understand and I'll try to convince Minami into letting you live by yourself too, if you think you can handle it. Also, before you leave, I have something to give you Naruto-kun. Here._

_Satoshi handed Naruto a pair of round glasses. Naruto looked at them a while before he realized why he had been given them. It was to hide his eyes. The eyes given to him by his mother. Ever since she died he had seen his clear blue eyes as a curse. Eyes of the dead._


	3. Unwanted Memories

_**Chapter 3: 'Unwanted Memories'**_

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Right after school ended Sasuke hurried home in fear of being discovered by some clingy fan girls.

"Lucky!" he thought as he entered the Uchiha mansion, finally starting to breathe normally. He really wasn't in the mood to find an excuse for being in such a hurry or to try and release himself from a crazy girl's grip. He sat on the floor for a while, leaning his back on the door. After catching some breath he stood up and walked to the kitchen, where his mother was standing with her back turned to him. She had already started on dinner and obviously had not noticed her son's arrival. Sasuke rolled his eyes and thought "It's really like I don't exist.." Then he shrugged and announced in a low tone:

- I'm home.

- Oh. Welcome back Sasuke, was the neutral reply.

- I'm going upstairs.

- You do that. Just remember that your father and I are going to a gathering tonight. Dinner is ready in half an hour, but we will eat when your father comes home. He just called and said he will be home later than usual, in perhaps 2 hours.

- Alright.

With that he walked up the stairs to his plainly white decorated room.

He sat down on the bed and let out an exhausted sigh. The day had been long and he hadn't had the chance to talk to Naruto Uzumaki at all, which by the way didn't come as a surprise. The blonde boy was constantly surrounded by friends and he always seemed so happy. Sasuke didn't want to ruin the mood. He knew he had that effect on people with his dark voice and strict appearance. He had never shown any real emotions in front of people other than his brother. The other reason for Sasuke not being able to talk to Naruto was the fan girls. "Those damned annoyances", he frowned.

It was nearly impossible to escape once one of them had discovered him. The next second all of them would be swarming around him like bugs.

He didn't want to think about the fan girls anymore so he shut down all thoughts, only for old memories to pop up.

_~ Flash back ~_

_- When I grow up I want to become just like nii-san! (A/N: Older brother) the little Sasuke smiled brightly._

_- You'll have to work hard then, but I know you can do it otouto (Younger brother). _

_Itachi smiled back and ruffled Sasuke's hair._

_- Yeah, I will! I'm going to go to an even more amazing school than nii-san and show dad!_

_Itachi smiled some more at his energetic brother and then continued to study while swinging Sasuke back and forth in the playground swing. _

_~ Flash back end ~_

- Tch. That bastard couldn't care less.

Sasuke had a painful expression and felt a sting in his heart as he stood up to go outside. He didn't really have anything to do and studying was futile to him since he was already much ahead of the others in every subject. The raven haired boy concluded that walking around outside without a goal would help him take his mind off everything and instead he would focus on finding some good place to pass time at. He headed back downstairs, put on shoes and a jacket and then announced his departure as he opened the door and went outside.

Sasuke was walking slowly down the street, bored and without any particular destination. Many girls had offered him to come and 'play' but he really didn't have any interest in 'easy' girls so he had just told them 'no thanks' and continued walking.

All of a sudden it started to rain. "Great" he then thought sarcastically and went to find shelter. He still didn't want to go home to the house filled with memories. And so he ended up entering a little tea shop close by and sat down at a corner table but didn't really feel like ordering anything.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto was on his way to his locker to fetch some books and go home when he spotted a familiar face. He started walking towards the person, shouting:

- Auntie!

Minami turned around to see her nephew and smiled.

- Hello there Naruto-kun. It has been a while since we talked.

- Yeah. So how's it going, being a teacher? Naruto said and stopped in front of Minami.

- I'm doing well, thanks. The students are a bit lively but they're all nice people and I truly enjoy teaching them. How about you, did you find any new friends?

- That's good auntie. There really are some decent people here so yeah, I did manage to become friends with the guys in my class. They're fun to hang out with, Naruto stated while grinning cheerfully.

- I'm happy to hear that Naruto-kun. Are you going home now by the way?

- Yeah, I can finally leave. I'm exhausted and the teachers give a lot of homework.. Oh well, I'll work hard! Naruto said with a determined expression.

"How typical of Naruto-kun to say something like that", Minami thought as she smiled lovingly at her hardworking nephew.

- Well, then I'm not going to hold you back here any longer, she said jokingly.

- Ha-ha you never hold me back auntie, Naruto assured her and then continued:

- But you're right, I should get going before the girls show up.

He looked over his shoulder, afraid that any Sasuke fan girls would come. He had heard some girly voices behind the classroom doors which he had passed on his way to the locker. That had made him speed up a bit but then he had seen his aunt and felt like talking to her.

The two of them hadn't seen each other at all since they moved to Konoha with Satoshi. This was their first not-over-the-phone conversation in 2 months because Minami didn't have the luck to be teaching Naruto's class English. The man who taught his class English was known as Iruka-sensei.

- Girls..? Minami asked confusedly.

- Yeah.. They seem to hate me for some reason, Naruto explained while scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

- Hm.. That's strange but I'm sure they'll come around so don't worry about it Naruto-kun.

- Thanks, but it's okay auntie. Anyway, I'm going to head home now so I'll see you.

He started to turn around in the direction of his locker.

- Don't forget to take care of yourself and the apartment, Minami said to his retreating back. Then she started walking towards the stairs, her head still in Naruto's direction, waiting for a reply.

- I won't. Bye auntie! Naruto smiled and walked away to his locker.

_Twenty minutes later:_

"I should go grocery shopping today." Naruto thought as he walked down the wet streets. He didn't really mind the rain since he didn't easily catch a cold. To him it was just refreshing. He opened the little pocket on the front of his orange/black backpack where he usually kept his wallet.

"Crap, I just had to forget my wallet today of all days."

He then decided that he still didn't want to go back to his cramped apartment just yet. Instead he walked a bit longer and stopped in front of a small building with the name 'Nara's Tea Service' written on it. (A/N: Please excuse my terrible imagination but I really couldn't come up with anything better fitting as the name of the tea shop :L). Naruto opened the door and heard the sound of a bell. When the door closed itself again he sneaked up behind a black-haired boy who was wiping off a table. A small mutter coming from the waiter, who still hadn't noticed the blonde standing just one inch away, was heard:

- How troublesome. Why do I have to do this every single day..

- That's because it's your dad's shop and who else would actually work for such a lazy man, except his even _lazier_ son? Besides, you actually get paid for this so be happy.

Naruto, who was standing right behind Shikamaru, smirked wickedly.

Shikamaru jumped a little at the surprise, but then he turned around with a frown forming in his face.

- Naruto.. At least let people know when you decide to sneak up on them like that. It might get you beaten up in the future.

- Ha ha. It's your fault for not paying attention to the costumers.

- You.... Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Sasuke, with his back turned towards his surroundings, sat in the corner wondering why no waiter or waitress had bothered him yet. Even if he didn't feel like ordering he still wanted someone to occupy him so he could avoid another conversation in his mind. He'd rather talk to someone real than a ghost from the past. Then he heard someone enter and turned around, doing something rare by letting his curiosity take over. He could hardly believe his own eyes when he saw that familiar blonde hair and those silly glasses.

"It's him.." was all that crossed Sasuke's mind as the blonde boy appeared behind the black-haired waiter. He didn't even notice the other familiar face of Shikamaru Nara until he turned around to speak to the blonde.

The raven-haired boy turned his head to face the window in front of him, trying to be invisible, but as predicted his plan failed and in an instant he heard someone walking towards him.

- What would you like to order, sir?

Sasuke turned unwillingly around to face Shikamaru.

- I'll think about it, if you excuse me..

- Uchiha? was the surprised reply.

All of a sudden a curious-looking blonde showed up behind the lazy waiter.

- Did someone say Uchiha? he said and then gaped at the boy sitting in front of him.

- Yeah, I didn't notice him before though.. Shikamaru said.

- I'm not some sort of rare animal you know, Sasuke stated irritatedly and glared at Naruto.

- Well, you sure act like one and why do you always have to glare at me like that?! Naruto shouted.

- I don't do that all the time.

- Yes you do!

Shikamaru sighed as he watched the pointless fight. Then he said:

- Anyway, fight as much as you like but try not to disturb the costumers, okay?

- Fine, Naruto said and turned to look at him for a second before going back to his staring contest with Sasuke.

- I'll be going then, Shikamaru said and retreated to take care of some costumers who had just arrived.

- Teme, do you want to take this outside?? Naruto angrily asked the not-as-upset Sasuke.

- No thanks, I have better things to do than to waste time with you. Like nothing, Sasuke replied calmly.

- Can't believe the girls actually like this bastard, Naruto mumbled as he sat down on the seat in front of Sasuke's.

- I can hear you, Sasuke grinned.

- Whatever! Anyway, are you gonna order anything?

- Why do you ask that all of a sudden and who told you to sit here..? Sasuke asked suspiciously.

- Why not? I bet you don't have any friends so I thought you probably get lonely sometimes and that must be the reason you're such a bastard too.

Sasuke couldn't help but look confused for a second. "Does he really care..? As I thought, he's interesting" he thought and held back a smirk. Then he asked:

- And how did you come to that conclusion?

- Huh? Oh, that's easy. I've just noticed that you're always by yourself at school.

- Have you been watching me? Sasuke grinned.

- N..no of course not! Why on earth would I care about a bastard like you? Naruto blushed.

- Never mind, I was just kidding dobe.

- Who are you calling a dobe?!

- The only dobe I see in here of course.

_About thirty minutes later:_

- You didn't have to walk me home you know, Naruto said and turned to face the raven.

- I know but I just thought that you look stupid enough to get lost, Sasuke teased.

- Hey! For Your Majesty's information I _can _find my way home even though I haven't lived here for a long time, Naruto pouted.

- Whatever you say, dobe.

- Calling me that again.. Who does he think he is? the blonde mumbled to himself as he walked.

"I have to admit, he looks a little bit cute when he's irritated. I wonder what other interesting expressions I can get from him." Sasuke thought as a smirk formed on his lips.

All of a sudden the blonde stopped in front of a four story apartment building. (A/N: I don't really know how to describe a building in English but I hope this is somewhat correct).

- This is where I live. You can go back home now. I'm sure your parents are worrying about you.

- Not really. I told my mom that I went out and she isn't expecting me to come home quite yet. But yeah, I guess I'll go.

The raven took a few steps forward until his face was nearly touching the blonde's.

- W..What? Naruto stuttered confusedly.

- Can I have a goodnight kiss first? Sasuke grinned.

- HUH?!? What are you t..talking about teme?!? Naruto shouted in the Uchiha's face, blushing heavily and backed away clumsily.

They stood there silent for a moment. Suddenly Sasuke burst out laughing.

- I was just kidding you dobe. You really are an idiot, he breathed between the laughing.

"What's funny is his reaction. He looks as shocked as if he'd just seen someone run naked through the street!"

- Well, what was I supposed to think then? Wouldn't you be creeped out if a random guy asked _you _for a ..kiss just like that?! Naruto replied with a flustered face of embarrassment.

Sasuke had stopped laughing. Only the look of amusement in his eyes remained.

- I guess you've got a point there. But try not to take everything seriously all the time dobe.

- As if you're one to say that..

- True. Anyway, I'm leaving then. I'll see you at school Uzumaki.

"He really is something else, that idiot', Sasuke thought as he got close to the Uchiha mansion.

A grin formed as he thought about how his life was going to change. "Looks like school is going to be a lot more fun from now on... Then again, I'll be pleased if I can just get rid of all thoughts about Itachi and focus on my new toy".

**Naruto's PoV:**

The blonde boy was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the things that had happened that evening.

"I can't believe I really saw Uchiha.. laugh. It was probably the first _and _the last time though."

The blonde's face reddened when he thought about the Uchiha's words.

"That's so.. embarrassing.. Joking about something like that. Not that _I _care though! I like girls and I always have.. Just not the girls in my school. They're all crazy about that guy anyway". Naruto sighed. "Whatever. Time to eat ramen!"


	4. Restraint And Surprise

_**Chapter 4: 'Restraint And Surprise'**_

**Naruto's PoV:**

"I can't believe this. It's been a week since he stopped doing it and now he's glaring at me again! Why?!", Naruto thought irritatedly to himself as he glared back at the raven-haired boy sitting a few tables away.

It had been a week since Naruto had had any sort of interaction with the Uchiha and for that reason it had been a calm week. No fan girls had approached the blonde and the mood hadn't seemed as tense as before. Just as Naruto sat down in the school diner to have lunch with his friends he spotted a glaring Sasuke by mistake.

- It won't be long until the stupid fan girls show up here now, Naruto sighed.

- Huh? Why? Chouji asked while chewing loudly on some potato chips.

- Uchiha is being a bastard again, Naruto replied.

- Really? I thought he stopped doing that already, Kiba said in surprise and looked around to find the enemy.

- Apparently not. Oh.. here they come, Naruto said while rolling his eyes.

Sakura and Ino, followed by a mob of five angry girls walked up to their table and stopped next to Naruto's chair.

- I thought we warned you many times already Megane-kun, (A/N: Glasses boy) Sakura spat out.

- You did? About what? Naruto asked and turned to look at her unknowingly.

- Don't play dumb with me, Sakura replied coldly.

- Hey you girls, can't you cut it out already? People are trying to eat, Sai - a pale guy who liked to tease others - smiled innocently.

- No way! Ino yelled. Then she lowered her voice and continued:

- We want this nerd to finish whatever business he has with our Sasuke-kun, or else we will never stop doing this. You hear me, Naruto Uzumaki?!

- But I don't _want _anything to do with him. Why don't you understand that? Naruto blurted.

The mob of girls looked at each other and then turned back to glare coldly at Naruto, making him relieved that looks can't kill; (although if that was the case he would've been dead since long). They all yelled in unison:

- Then stop glaring like that at him! Even if you wear those ugly glasses to cover it, we can still see it and it pisses us off! No one gets to glare at _our _Sasuke-kun!

- I'm the victim here, not Uchiha.., Naruto said lowly.

- Well whatever. This is your last warning, so you better take it seriously, Sakura threatened.

Naruto and his friends said nothing as they watched the girls walk back to the person who was the cause of the whole argument.

- That was scary! Kiba whined.

- All girls are scary, that's why it's best not to have anything to do with them, Shikamaru said with a yawn.

- I suppose you're right Shikamaru, Naruto said and let out a small sigh of relief.

_**Naruto's apartment, after school:**_

"Seems like those fan girls are really serious about this. Would it be best to just confront the bastard about his annoying habit perhaps? But then I would get more 'involved' with him than I would like to.. Damn! What to do Kami-sama..? (God)", Naruto thought as he continuously chewed on the tip of a pencil.

He was sitting on the couch, trying to find inspiration to do a school project, but what worried him more was his other 'problem'.

"It's getting late.. I better finish this project soon.. Wait, did I forget to do something? Uh, never mind. It probably wasn't important anyway", the blonde concluded as he stopped chewing on the pencil.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Sasuke, Naruto and the others were in history class. Sasuke found himself oddly distracted.

"What am I doing? Why the hell do I keep glancing at that dobe? It's like I can't control myself..

So this is what happens when I don't approach him in a whole week, huh. I'm even surprised how dazed out he must be not to notice my staring. Seriously, this is really not like me", Sasuke thought and frowned.

As he once again was about to glance at the blonde boy a few seats away his attention caught another blonde, though said blonde was a girl who sat in front of the raven-haired boy. She had turned her head around and kept gazing at him until, much to Sasuke's delight, Ayukawa-sensei gave her a warning for not paying attention to class.

"That was so disturbing. That Ino-whatever-girl can be so persistant. Thank god we're in class. Anyway, what was I doing? ...Oh right, forget it. Let's just concentrate on listening to the teacher.. Concentrate..."

_**After school:**_

"That idiot actually skipped the last lesson, although we have such strict rules. That's just stupid", Sasuke thought irritatedly for not getting to see the said idiot.

It was time to head home for the raven-haired Uchiha. As he stepped out of the school building to walk the usual route, which he did because he didn't like drivers and preferred to walk home, he thought he heard a small 'thud' sound coming from the backyard. Normally he wouldn't have paid attention to it and just gone directly home, but today of all days he happened to be in a strange mood and couldn't control his curiosity. He went to see what had made the sound earlier and was dumbfounded at the sight. There, in the grass, was a passed-out boy with blonde hair.

Sasuke shook his head to gain his senses back and hurried over to check what was wrong with the boy. As he had guessed, the boy was none other than Naruto Uzumaki. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully at first glance, but Sasuke confirmed that he was definitely not just sleeping. He was unconscious. For whatever reason wasn't to worry about at that moment. Sasuke decided to carry the blonde to his own apartment. He dug out Naruto's key chain from the bag lying next to him, put it in his own pocket and with some effort he managed to place Naruto's arms around his own shoulders and with the boy's body dangling from Sasuke's back, Sasuke took a tight grip around his thighs and pulled him up much enough so that he wouldn't fall. Sasuke convinced himself that he could handle it by himself, since Naruto's apartment really wasn't far away from school at all, and started walking. He couldn't deny that he was very worried about the blonde's health during that very moment.

_**Fifteen minutes later:**_

Sasuke placed the unconscious blonde carefully on the couch in the living room and took a deep breath.

"That dobe, getting me this worried", Sasuke thought nervously as he removed Naruto's glasses and put them on the coffee table.

"Could he have a fever or something?"

The Uchiha, who had no clue what to do in such a situation, placed his fingertips on the blonde's forehead and when he finally concluded that his patient's temperature seemed normal, eyelids started to twitch. Naruto slowly opened his eyes and looked, naturally, very shocked to see the black-haired raven leaning over him.

- UCHIHA?!? he shouted and sat up quickly, but was forced to lay back down because of dizziness.

- Baka (idiot), don't sit up so quickly after passing out in the schoolyard. Well, you seem to be just fine now though, Sasuke said and crossed his arms, still intensely watching the blonde.

Sasuke had discovered something unexpected and interesting. Underneath those geeky glasses were actually a pair of very pure, blue eyes. Secretly he wondered why Naruto wore glasses. After all, it was a shame on such a pretty face. Sasuke thought that there definitely had to be some sort of a reason and he was sure to find out in some way or another. He wanted to know everything about this boy.

- Eh, I did what..? Oh yeah, that's right.. I think I'm starting to remember now... But, wait a minute! I'm in my apartment now, right? Then why are you...?

- Don't worry about that. Just tell me why you fainted. Are you okay now by the way? I don't want you passing out again before explaining the reason.

- Uh.. Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine.

Suddenly a loud growl was heard.

Sasuke twitched an eyebrow.

- Oi.. Don't tell me you fainted because of hunger..?

- Umm, you see.. I... I'll explain everything now!

- It's okay. It can wait. Right now I think you seriously need something to eat. Do you have anything edible in here?

- Just ramen.

- Ramen, huh.. That will do.

Sasuke found the kitchen and there he warmed some ramen up and then went back to the living room to watch Naruto hungrily throw himself at the ramen.

"He sure was hungry...", the raven thought and his eyes widened seeing how fast the blonde finished his meal.

- Okay, I'm done. I'm going to explain what happened now, Naruto said with a satisfied grin.

- Go ahead.

**Naruto's PoV:**

- Yesterday I was doing a school project Ayukawa-sensei told me to do because I transferred here right after you guys had done it in class. Apparently it's an important project for passing the history course. Well, it dragged out quite late, so in the end I forgot to eat and this morning I slept in a little late so I didn't have the time to either eat breakfast nor bring a lunch box – which I always eat in school. So you see, until just now, I didn't eat for a long time and my body becomes really weak if it doesn't receive any nutrition. That's why I passed out, Naruto explained awkwardly.

- I get it now. You..., Sasuke began but was cut off.

- Yeah, yeah, I know I was an idiot, okay? Seriously, I should have just listened to my aunt. None of this would have happened then. But who would've thought I would be saved by the school's 'prince', Naruto smirked.

- Would it have been better if I had pretended I didn't see you and went home? Sasuke mumbled and looked away.

"Did he just blush a little, or am I just seeing things..?", Naruto thought suspiciously.

- I was just kidding, don't worry. But really, I guess I should thank you. Thanks Uchiha, I owe you one this time, Naruto chuckled.

- Nah, it's fine. Just don't pass out in school again, okay?

- Deal. By the way, how did you get in here?

- Dummy. I used the key in your bag of course, Sasuke sighed.

The two of them spoke ill of each other in a friendly manner and joked around for a while before Sasuke realized that it was about time for him to go home. Naruto followed the Uchiha to see him off in the hall.

- You.. You'll come see me again right, Uchiha-kuuun? Naruto asked with a faked girly voice and fluttered his eyelashes.

- We'll see about that, Sasuke grinned.

- You're the worst! Naruto blurted with the same high-pitched tone and pouted until both of them burst out laughing.

When the laugh attacks finally stopped Sasuke spoke up:

- Anyway, maybe we'll cross paths again sometime soon.

- Yeah, even if we don't, it doesn't really matter though, Naruto replied with a smile.

- Same to you. Bye then Uzumaki, Sasuke said and returned the smile.

- See you around Uchiha.

"Wah, if I think about it, we sure seem to meet at random places a lot.. Almost like... destiny? No, what am I thinking! That's just corny and like I said, it's not like it matters. He's probably just a playboy whom I don't know much about anyway! I got to stop thinking about these pointless things", Naruto thought to himself as he listened to Sasuke's retreating footsteps.

After that the boys' lives went on as normal and they met each other every once in a while at school, but as usual they never got the chance to do more than exchange a few words when they happened to be alone.


	5. Curiosity

_**Chapter 5: 'Curiosity'**_

**Sasuke's PoV:**

- Uchiha-teme! Wait up!

The raven-haired boy, holding a heap of books in his arms, turned around to see a blonde running and waving towards him.

- Oh, if it isn't the dobe. What's up?

The blonde caught up and stopped in front of the dark-haired one, panting for air. They were standing on the second floor of the school building, outside of their classroom. Lunch time was about to end.

- Nothing, I just thought you wanted to talk a little. So, what's with all the books?

- Iruka-sensei told me to fetch them for class. They're English dictionaries.

- I see..

- Did you eat properly lately so that I don't have to save you again?

- Of course I did! I'm not stupid enough to do the same mistake twice!

- You never know, Sasuke grinned.

- Whatever, Naruto pouted.

- Listen Uzumaki.. My parents are having some kind of high class party on Friday and my mom told me to bring someone over and...

Sasuke scratched the side of his neck nervously, glanced around and as his dark orbs stopped on a crack in the stone wall he continued;

- Well, I don't really have anyone else to ask other than you. What do you say?

- Oh, the mighty Sasuke Uchiha is inviting little _me _over to his house huh, Naruto smirked.

Then his face lit up and his eyes shone slightly.

- Will there be really yummy food? he asked enthusiastically.

- Umm.. normal food, I guess, Sasuke replied, slightly surprised with the sudden cheerfulness.

- Alright! Normal food for _rich _people is something I would never turn down. You can count me in Uchiha!

- Okay, good. Just don't embarrass me infront my dad's co-workers. He would be really mad.

- Don't worry about it, Naruto said and smiled widely.

"This is new. He has never acted this cheerful when he's been with me before. I kind of like this side of him though", Sasuke thought and hid a smirk.

- But you know, you should stop glaring at me before class! Why do you do that anyway? It's really annoying and the girls are making a huge deal out of it, Naruto said all of a sudden.

- What? When did I do that? Sasuke asked confusedly.

- You do it all the time! Haven't you noticed?! Naruto exclaimed, just as confused.

- Well I've never glared at you on purpose... But I guess it's true if the annoyances are reacting to it.. Plus, it's kind of a bad habit of mine that I thought I'd gotten rid of. Apparently I didn't..

- Oh, but as far as I know I'm the only one you glare at. That's strange.., Naruto stated thoughtfully.

- I guess so.. But I'll just try to get rid of it again then, Sasuke said and felt a little awkward about his previous odd behavior.

- That would help me out a lot, Naruto replied gratefully.

The school bell rang and the corridor became full of students unwillingly making their way to their classrooms, as well as Naruto and Sasuke who went inside of theirs.

**After school:**

- I'm home, the raven-haired Uchiha stated as he stoically entered the living room.

His mother looked up from the expensive couch where she was sitting and glanced hastily at her son, before returning to read a recipe from a cookbook.

The lady of the Uchiha mansion, Setsuna, was a usually quiet, yet beautiful and elegant woman. She had recently developed an interest in cooking. Of course this was normally a chore for the countless house maids, but she insisted on doing it. Her just as unsocial son presumed that she was probably bored walking around doing nothing and letting the maids take care of everything all day. Not that he would ask anything outside of what was expected of him.

- Welcome back Sasuke. Is everything well in school? Setsuna asked distantly.

- Yes mother, everything is fine.

- Did you invite anyone over for tomorrow?

- I did. He might be a little.. different from the people you and father usually associate yourself with though, but he promised to behave well, so there's no need for you to worry mother.

- Good. This way the food will be perfectly proportioned for 10 people.

- I'm looking forward to it, Sasuke said and tried to sound delighted.

Setsuna's lips smiled slightly, though her eyes remained blank.

"Another one of these gatherings.. I'm so sick of those geezers asking my dad the same questions over and over and butting into family matters.. The only good thing is that the dobe will be there as well..." Sasuke thought and stared at the ceiling.

The raven was taking a bath and had wrapped his arms around the back of his head.

Then he sighed and unfolded his arms. Suddenly he remembered what kind of things the geezers would ask and squeezed his head between the tip of his fingers to prevent the headache he felt coming.

"But really... As long as they don't ask about _him _I'll be fine... Yeah, why'd they need to bring up Itachi anyway? It's been years since he left! Screw him!"

Sasuke stood up, grabbed the nearest towel and stepped out of the bath.

**Naruto's PoV:**

The blue-eyed blonde yawned visibly. He and his classmates were impatiently waiting for the unusually late Iruka-sensei to show up. Suddenly a discrete 'thud' sound was heard behind the blonde. He turned around to see what it was and spotted an eraser lying on the floor. Being who he was, he obviously picked it up and glanced around to see who the owner of the item was. Then a girly, stuttering voice was heard from right behind him.

- A..ano.. U..Uzumaki-kun.. That's.. m..mine.., the girl said.

Naruto turned around and to see a pair of white eyes, bright red cheeks on pale skin and long, black hair. He remembered that she was the 'weird girl' who stuttered a lot. She was very beautiful though and had good grades. Her name was Hinata Hyuga.

- Oh, I see. Then I'll return it to you, Naruto smiled and handed the eraser to the flustered girl.

- T..thank you.

- No problem, Hyuga-chan.

The girl's already red cheeks became even redder and her eyes dropped to look at the eraser in her hands.

"She's really strange.. but I guess she's a kind person after all", Naruto thought and then turned to face the window after flashing his teeth once more at the shy girl.

Iruka-sensei made his appearance after another five minutes and excused himself for being late, saying he had a meeting in the teachers' coffee room.

That lesson Naruto felt like he was constantly being watched from behind and it was rather unpleasant, but he managed to ignore it after a while.

**Naruto's apartment:**

Naruto had just finished doing the dishes as the doorbell rang.

"Oh.. That must be auntie and Satoshi-san", he thought and went to open the door.

As he had guessed; He was met by his smiling aunt and her husband.

Naruto greeted them happily;

- Hi auntie, Satoshi-san. It's been a long time. Come in, please.

- Hi Naruto-kun. Are we imposing on you? Satoshi asked.

- No no, it's fine. I was just doing the dishes, Naruto said and smiled reassuringly.

They stepped inside and started to follow Naruto into the living room.

- I see you've got quite a nice place here Naruto-kun, Minami said as she looked around.

- Yeah, it's not bad at all, Naruto replied proudly. Then he continued;

- By the way.. Not cause I mind at all, but I was just wondering: Did you come here for anything in particular or just to check out the apartment?

- Well.. Satoshi wanted to see you since he hasn't talked to you in a long time and of course we were both anxious to see how you are living, Minami explained.

- I see! I'm just happy to see you two, Naruto said, smiling widely.

Satoshi smiled back at him.

- You seem to be doing good. Is everything okay in school as well? he then asked.

- It's fine I guess. It's a little hard to keep up with the homework sometimes, but I somehow manage, Naruto said and shrugged.

- We seem to be asking a lot of questions. Naruto-kun is that okay? It might be a little annoying to you.. But we also came to tell you that your credit card's been refilled. You won't have to worry about money for a while, Minami happily told her nephew.

- Auntie, you didn't have to do that.. I'm not desperate for money right now or anything, Naruto chuckled, but when he saw his aunt's disappointed expression he proceeded by saying;

- I guess I'll accept it this time then. Just don't feel pressured to give me money all the time. After all, you paid for this apartment and still gave me quite a lot of cash before I moved in. I'll be fine, really.

The three of them looked at each other for a while, until Satoshi decided to break to silence.

- If that's what you wish for Naruto-kun.. I guess we can overlook it, but don't you ever hesitate to ask us for money. We'll gladly help you out, so don't worry. You're not a burden to us and you never have been.

- Thanks Satoshi, Naruto said and smiled gratefully towards him.

Minami looked slightly hesitant at first, but in the end she also agreed to let her nephew take care of himself. She knew that he wasn't a kid anymore and even when he had been one in the past he had never liked to be treated like he was.

- It's a deal, she smiled.

- Yes, as long as we can still come visit you every now and then, Satoshi added.

- Of course you can! You're more than welcome.. This apartment could even be considered to be yours rather than mine.

- Naruto-kun, that's taking it a little too far, Minami giggled.

- Oh, hmm.. Maybe. But still.. Anyway! Do you want something to drink?

- No thank you Naruto-kun. We both happen to have a day off tomorrow, so we've decided to visit Yuiko in Kyoto tonight, Satoshi said and sounded quite excited.

- Really? Why didn't you tell me? I'm dying to know if she's been alright this last half year! Naruto exclaimed and pouted grumpily.

- Calm down Naruto-kun. You have school tomorrow right? We couldn't possibly bring you with us, but we'll visit her during new year as well, so you can come then. Is that okay? Minami said.

- ... I guess it's fine then, Naruto replied and softened up. Then he realized that Minami and Satoshi might've been in a hurry. He glanced at the clock and asked what time they would be leaving for Kyoto.

- I guess it's about time to leave soon, though we're not that much in a hurry so it's fine. Although Yuiko is obsessed with keeping times we won't be scolded even if we leave in five or ten minutes, Satoshi chuckled.

- Ha ha, that's right. She used to get really angry when I overslept for something. I had to pay for it weeks afterwards. Since then I'm still really afraid to be late, Naruto laughed.

- She's always been like that, Minami said and joined the others in laughing.

Everyone went quiet and thought about the good old times when they all lived together, including Yuiko, in Kyoto.

- Well then, we better leave now, just to be safe. Are you coming Satoshi? Minami said and went out in the hall to put on her shoes.

Satoshi nodded and did the same as his wife.

- Bye you two. Have a safe trip, Naruto said.

- Thanks Naruto-kun. We'll come visit you some other day and stay longer if you want us to, Satoshi replied as he exited Naruto's apartment.

- Bye Naruto-kun! Minami said and gave her nephew a quick hug.

Naruto waved to their backs as he watched them leave. When they were gone he went back into the kitchen to clean up a little.

**Friday 17:50 pm:**

"I hope this is okay.. I don't own any fancy clothes anyway. It can't be helped", Naruto thought as he took a last glance in the mirror.

He was wearing his best pair of jeans and a long sleeve white & red checkered shirt. His hair was a little less messy than usual and he had also put on his glasses out of habit. (Or to seem smart?)

He glanced at his watch and realized that he'd better get going, or else Sasuke would not be a happy bastard. As he thought this the corner of his mouth twitched because it wasn't like Sasuke had ever seemed happy. When the Uchiha smiled it was most likely because he was thinking of something evil. At least that's what the blonde thought.

Naruto put his shoes on and departed, feeling slightly nervous.

**In front of the Uchiha mansion:**

Naruto stepped out of the taxi that had brought him to his destination and paid the driver. Then he looked at the mansion and froze for a second.

"It's.. huge", he thought in shock.

The blonde didn't get the time to worry though, instead the door opened and he was told by, probably a butler, to come inside, so he did. He walked up to the wide open front door and hesitated for just a second before he heard the door shut behind him. He couldn't escape now.

As Naruto stood there, not knowing what to do, a beautiful woman with long, brown hair appeared.

- Welcome. You must be Sasuke's friend from school, Naruto Uzumaki, am I right? she said.

- ..Yes, that's me.. Thanks, Naruto replied.

- Why don't you join the rest of the guests in the living room. Sasuke will be downstairs in a moment. By the way, my name is Setsuna and I'm Sasuke's mother. I'm very pleased to meet you.

- Okay.. Me too..

Setsuna showed Naruto the way to the living room and then she sat down next to a slightly gray-haired man, who was discussing something seemingly serious with another man. Naruto presumed that he was probably Sasuke's dad.

"Tch, the bastard is planning to leave me alone with the rich people? This doesn't feel good.. but his mom sure is pretty though", Naruto thought to himself as he uncertainly sat down on a leather arm chair next to some middle-aged men wearing expensive-looking suits. They glanced a little curiously at the young blonde and murmured something that Naruto didn't even want to hear. He had a bad feeling when they started whispering even more while constantly looking his way, but he tried to ignore it as much as possible. What made him nervous was that they were most probably wondering who he was and why he was invited. It made him feel inferior, because he was after all a nobody among these wealthy people. He strongly felt that he didn't fit in. Even so, he kept waiting impatiently for the bastard who invited him there to show up.

At last, 10 minutes later, the young Uchiha decided to show himself. He was wearing a black suit with a red tie. He didn't look very pleased though as he quickly glanced through the crowd of middle-aged men, but his expression changed slightly when he spotted the nervous blonde sitting in an armchair. He ignored the looks he got from the businessmen and walked up to the blonde, much to the blonde's surprise.

- I'm glad you showed up. Would you like me to show you around while the others are discussing important matters? Sasuke said politely.

"Eh? His way of speaking is kind of.. refined? Oh.. Of course he can't act like the usual bastard around these people. Silly me", Naruto thought.

- That sounds good, he replied and stood up to follow the raven-haired boy, ignoring the looks from the older men.

Sasuke showed Naruto most of the mansion, but also said that it would take too long to show him the whole thing and Naruto didn't hesitate to believe him.

- So, what exactly is this gathering for? Naruto asked all of a sudden as they were walking down the stairs to go back to the others.

Sasuke stopped walking, almost causing an unprepared Naruto to run into his back.

Then he snorted and said:

- You know what's ridiculous? I don't even know what they're discussing. They don't tell me anything. I guess I'm not important enough to know the details.

Naruto thought about what Sasuke just had said and kept quiet, not knowing what to say. Then Sasuke started walking again, apparently not expecting an answer from the clueless blonde.

They came back to the living room just as Setsuna announced that dinner would be served in a few minutes and everyone started making their way to the dining room, as did Sasuke and Naruto.

The dinner mostly consisted of middle-aged businessmen discussing company matters among themselves in between eating. Even after having been introduced to the other guests by Setsuna as Sasuke's friend, Naruto once again felt out of place, but he just sat silent and tried to eat as elegantly as he could manage. However, the food was in his opinion extremely delicious, so no complaints on that part. Sasuke, who looked handsome as ever, had no trouble keeping up with the others. This slightly irritated the blonde, even though he found it natural.

Suddenly a rather chubby man, seemingly in his forties, lightly tapped Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke, taking the hint, turned towards the man and listened to whatever he had to say. Naruto, who was sitting rather far away from the man, couldn't quite make out the words with so many people talking at once, but he thought he heard something about 'Itachi' and '..return home' and he also saw how Sasuke frowned more and more as the man spoke. When the man finally stopped talking Sasuke replied something that could have been 'I don't know' and he looked as if he was having a hard time controlling his anger.

"Why does he look so angry? What did that guy say to make him this upset?", Naruto questioned in his mind.

The blonde didn't know why, but somehow the stiff atmosphere between Sasuke and the unknown man made him feel bad as well. He knew that he couldn't do anything about it though, so he ignored it and continued to eat the delicious food.

When they had finished their meal, as well as the dessert, Sasuke and Naruto were told to go upstairs to Sasuke's room. They did as they were told.

Sasuke brought Naruto to his room and closed the door behind him. As they both sat down on the soft bed Sasuke said:

- You're probably wondering why they wanted us to go up here. I guess it's because they don't want me to hear anything about the secrets of the family business, as if it's none of my concern. But it doesn't matter anyway, I don't even _want _to hear it myself.. Frankly, it'd be easier if that guy was here so I could avoid these meetings. I'm only here as an item for my parents to show off anyway...

Naruto was shocked. The bastard had it quite tough, despite being a rich kid he was actually troubled by something. But even more than shocked, the blonde was curious.

- That guy? Who's that?

- Oh.. Never mind. I think I said too much..

- No, come on! Tell me!

- My brother.

- You have a brother?! Naruto exclaimed in surprise.

- Yeah, but let's not talk about him.

- Why not?

- You're very persistent, you know that?

- Alright then... I give up, Naruto said dispiritedly.

Sasuke smiled at the pouting blonde.

- But that's what's so cute about you, he said then and leaned closer to the blonde.

Naruto's face turned red and he looked away, but Sasuke grabbed hold of his chin and forced the blonde to look at him. Black orbs met scared blue ones for a moment that seemed to last forever.

"Wha..What's going on..?? Uchiha is acting weird! And why is my heart pounding like this??"

- Stop it Uchiha-teme! Naruto shouted in panic.

He tried to push Sasuke away but, unfortunately for him, the raven was stronger than him by far.

Sasuke leaned even closer so that his lips were only a few centimeters away from the blonde's. This caused Naruto to freeze up, which Sasuke took as a chance. He pressed his lips against Naruto's and as their lips met Naruto's body heated up and he felt as if he was soaring on a cloud. The raven sucked on the blonde's lower lip, which sent shivers down Naruto's spine and a moan escaped his lips as they separated from Sasuke's for a brief second, before the raven once again threw himself at Naruto, causing said blonde to fall over and land with his back on the bed and with Sasuke on top. Seeing Sasuke's lustful eyes scared Naruto. It caused him to push the raven away and jump off the bed. Sasuke turned around to face him questioningly, surprised by the sudden rejection.

- Uzumaki? What's wrong? he asked.

Naruto stood in the middle of the room, panting for air. He was shocked and couldn't believe what had just happened.

- ..J..just now.. what.. I mean... Why did you do.. that? he stuttered.

- Oh.. I'm sorry if I scared you. I just.. couldn't hold back anymore.., Sasuke replied regretfully and looked down.

A polite knock was heard outside of the room, which surprised both of the boys and before they had the time to think any further about what had just happened, the same butler Naruto had seen when he first entered the huge mansion opened the door and told Sasuke that the guests were leaving. Sasuke nodded and the butler retreated.

- I should go and say bye, Sasuke mumbled nervously to break the awkward silence that had formed and looked insecurely at the confused blonde.

- Y..yes.. I mean of course of you should. I'll come too. I should start leaving as well, Naruto replied while desperately avoiding Sasuke's gaze.

- Oh, I see..

They left Sasuke's room and went downstairs in silence. Naruto watched as Sasuke shook hands with the guests and bid them farewell, just like he was supposed to do. Then the blonde spotted the beautiful Setsuna and walked up to her.

- Err.. Setsuna-san.. I had a really good time. Thanks for letting me come today. I will be heading home now, he said.

Setsuna looked at him and smiled politely. Then she said:

- Don't mention it, Uzumaki-kun. I'm just happy you came, but it's too bad that you're leaving already. I was hoping you would stay a little longer to keep Sasuke company. You see, he hardly ever brings friends over here and it's such a shame. But I guess your parents would worry if you don't go home, so I won't keep you.

- My parents.. Yeah.., Naruto replied distantly.

Naruto noted that the older guests had left as Sasuke walked up to his mother's side.

"Don't think about it, act normal", Naruto thought to himself as he faced Sasuke.

- It's been fun Uchiha.., he said out loud.

- I'm glad you came, Sasuke replied sincerely.

- I hope you visit us some other time as well, Setsuna said in her usual polite manner.

- I will. Bye Uchiha, Setsuna-san.

- Bye Uzumaki..

**Outside of the Uchiha mansion:**

"Thank god! I'm finally outside.. I thought I would suffocate! I can't believe Uchiha did that! How will I ever be able to face him again? Why.. why.. I don't understand. We're both guys.. It's wrong!", Naruto thought as his face became more and more flustered from remembering his first kiss.

He glanced at his watch and realized that he had to wait 20 minutes for the taxi he had told to come pick him up at 22:00. Another 20 minutes to think about what had happened earlier wasn't what he needed. He wanted distraction. He tried to think about anything he could possibly think of, but it was futile. No matter how hard he tried to stop it the kiss flashed in his mind over and over. When the taxi finally arrived the poor blonde was a complete mess and therefore he decided to go to bed as soon as he came back to his own place. What he was going to do when he met the boy who stole his first kiss again didn't matter at the moment.

* * *

**Random time!**

**As you can tell I'm really slow at updating this fanfic. I'm sorry about that, I'm just a slow person in general I guess, lol. **

**Anyway.. Don't you think Minami is kind of an interesting aunt? She's all super nice but sometimes she freaks out completely just cause Naruto looks like his mom. Hmm.. being an aunt myself I really can't relate, but then again, my nephew is only like 10-11 months old o.0 I'm probably too young to be an aunt anyway hah. I suck with kids x)**

**Ok.. Now about the next chapter: I have an idea what's going to happen but since I only get the chance to work on it on weekends it's going to take some time again.. Gomen gomen (don't hate me)**

**Spoiler time (don't read if you don't like sort-of-spoilers)**

**Naru-chan is going to be an emotional mess, surprise surprise ^.^**

**He's going to be avoiding poor Sasu-kun, who has his own troubles.**

**That's how it goes (PROBABLY) **

**I hope you all will stick around and wait for the next chapter :)**

**Well then.. Mata ne, minna-san! x)**


	6. Confusing Realization

_**Chapter 6: 'Confusing Realization'**_

**Sasuke's PoV:**

- What did you say..? Sasuke asked with wide-open eyes.

- I told you Itachi just called and said he's coming back tomorrow, Fugaku Uchiha replied calmly while reading the paper.

- Isn't it great Sasuke? Setsuna exclaimed cheerily.

- I.. see.. Please excuse me, Sasuke said warily, rose up from the kitchen chair and started walking up the stairs slowly.

It took some time for the words to sink in for the youngest Uchiha and as he finally realized what was happening he started scratching the back of his duck butt-shaped hair angrily.

"This.. can't be happening" he thought.

**Next day, Saturday:**

Sasuke, who had dark rings under his black eyes due to lack of sleep, was studying as he heard the sound of a car outside. He walked up to the window and saw a red sports car parked outside of the gates. A black-haired man stepped out of the car and Sasuke froze up from the sight.

- Sasuke! Your brother's here! Come greet him, won't you? Setsuna shouted from downstairs.

Sasuke returned back to normal instantly.

- Coming mother! he shouted back.

He sighed heavily and did as his mother told him. Downstairs he was met by the man he had seen outside before, a tall 24-year-old with a big resemblance to himself.

- Sasuke, is that you? You sure have grown a lot, the man said as he curiously inspected his little brother.

Sasuke avoided his gaze and stayed silent. He feared that his mother would force him to talk eventually but at the moment she was too happy about seeing her long-lost son to even notice the younger brother's presence.

- So where is she, your wife? Setsuna asked curiously.

- Oh.. Let's not talk about her today. Okay mother? Itachi said and smiled convincingly.

- Okay, if that's what you want. Now, let's go into the living room. Are you coming boys? Setsuna said and looked as happy as if it was one of the best days of her life.

Setsuna and Itachi held a lively discussion for half an hour. Sasuke had started to become bored and decided to sneak away while no one cared.

- Mother, I'm leaving now.

Nobody heard him. He took that as a sign and left the mansion by himself.

"As long as I'm able to avoid talking to him it will be fine.. but at times like these it wouldn't be bad to have someone to talk to, like... him.. Does he still hate me?", the raven thought as he walked past a young couple holding hands.

He picked up his cellphone, searched through contacts and stopped to stare at the name 'Uzumaki Naruto'. Then he hesitated a little, but in the end he forced himself to finally call him.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 signals were heard, but no voice on the other end. Sasuke sighed and gave up unwillingly. He couldn't help but wonder if the blonde was avoiding his call on purpose or if he really was busy.

_**Later, after walking around aimlessly:**_

"I ended up coming here again..", Sasuke thought as he looked at his surroundings: An old, unused park with only a slide for children and two swings.

He slowly walked up to one of the swings, sat down and touched the rusty chains, accustomed yet distant, while continuing his silent contemplating.

"I remember how you used to tell me to become more social, because it would help me out a lot in life, but I never listened. The only one I acted friendly with was you and I never cared about having friends my own age. Idiot Itachi.. Your disappearance only made me become even less social.. not that I cared, but I thought you did. I thought you were the only one I could trust and you would come back, no matter what. Here you are, four years later and all you can say is 'you sure have grown'. Never once did you contact me to ask how I've been doing or tell me how you have been.. Mom and dad are perfectly fine with it, but not me! If this is how it's going to be I really do hate you!"

Sasuke's suppressed anger caused tears to surface, but when he noticed them he started wiping his undying tears desperately. He was so busy trying to stop cry, that he failed no hear the quiet feet approaching him slowly.

- Sasuke? a man from behind said.

Sasuke froze up instantly and didn't even bother turning around to check who it was. The man didn't wait for a reply, but instead sat down in the swing next to the raven's.

Much to Sasuke's surprise, the man was none other than the one he had just been cursing in his mind.

- Itachi.. How did you know I was here? Sasuke asked after wiping the tears off.

- I didn't. It's just as surprising for me to see you here. I didn't expect anyone to be here and I definitely thought you went out to spend time with friends or, knowing you, to walk around by yourself.

Sasuke snorted.

- But you don't know me.

- About that.. I know it's wrong to ask now, after all these years, but Sasuke.. Are you doing okay in school? Did you manage to become social?

- If you wanted to know then you would have contacted me a long time ago, so don't pretend that you care.

- Oh.. I guess I expected you to be angry, but it's complicated. I'll tell you why I did what I did someday, but for now I just hope you will learn to forgive me Sasuke. I really do care about you, no matter what you think, Itachi said calmly and looked at his little brother.

They both sat silent for a few minutes, until Sasuke suddenly stood up.

- I would need a very good explanation to be able to forgive you, but if you really want to know; I guess I've changed a little bit.. lately. I won't tell you anymore though, not until you tell me your story. Until then I don't really want to talk to you, so if you excuse me I'll be leaving now, he said coldly.

- Agreed, Itachi said and smiled genuinely.

Sasuke shrugged and started walking back, once again in thought.

"It's because of _him _that I've changed.. but it won't matter as long as he hates me. I wonder what I should tell him when we meet on Monday.. I'm not even sure about my feelings for him. What is this desire? Is it really.. _that_?"

**Naruto's PoV:**

_**Monday morning:**_

- I don't want to see him.. or do I? No! I definitely don't want to! Aw.. crap! How can I go to school like this? Naruto shouted to himself and sat up brutally in bed.

"It's all his fault that I'm like this.. Okay, that's it. I'm not going to think about him anymore now!", the blonde thought and used both hands to slap himself back to his senses.

- Ow.. If anything helps then that must have been effective. Anyway, I better get up so I won't be late. Where did I put my school uniform? Oh, over there!

_**School:**_

Everywhere people were talking and laughing, including Naruto's friends who were currently listening to Kiba making a joke. The blonde boy, on the other hand, didn't even try to catch the joke, which was very unusual of him. Even as the bell rang nobody paid any attention to his troubled face. Maybe it was the glasses, maybe they didn't care or maybe they just didn't want to butt into other people's business. Whatever it was, it had become clear to Naruto that he wouldn't be able to rely on his friends to distract him. As much as he wanted to forget all about him his mind was constantly occupied with thoughts of meeting the black-haired boy. Frustration, confusion and.. something more..

"What is this feeling..? I don't understand anything nowadays. Maybe I'm becoming crazy", Naruto questioned himself as he wrote down what the teacher said.

"But I know what to do when I see him. I may be a coward, but that kind of thing doesn't matter right now. I'm just not ready.."

The moment he thought that, he accidentally glanced at the raven, who was sitting 2 rows ahead of him in the classroom. The blonde immediately regretted it, because the raven felt his gaze and turned around to stare at him. Naruto was caught by surprise and quickly averted his eyes to face the blackboard.

_**Lunch:**_

- Hey, Uzumaki! Where are you going? Kiba yelled at the blonde who was rushing off somewhere.

- I'm gonna go pee. You guys can go ahead and start eating without me today! Naruto yelled back.

- Okay, we'll take the usual table then!

Just as he had told his friend, the blonde boy hurried over to the bathroom and locked himself up.

"Phew! With the way he stared at me today I thought he wouldn't let me escape.. Hah.. baka me.. Of course he can't just bluntly walk up to me in school. There are the fan girls after all to worry about."

Naruto lowered his head while leaning against the bathroom wall.

"Why am I such a coward? How long will I be able to avoid him? When did things get so serious? From playing around as friends to.. _that_.. Man! I really don't know what's going on! I thought we were just friends.. Or was that his strange way of expressing friendship? No, he'd be at a mental hospital if he kissed each and ever... Wait a second.. Aren't I his only friend? As far as I know he doesn't socialize with people other than family, teachers and me.."

He covered his face with both hands as his eyes widened at the sudden realization.

"Is he really.. crazy?", the naive blonde wondered.

The rest of the lunch break Naruto spent his time locked up in the bathroom, not daring to come out in case he'd run into the enemy. His friends asked what he had been up to, but gave up soon after not receiving a clear explanation.

_**After school:**_

"Hurry, hurry, hurry", was the only thing going through the blonde's head as he rushed out of the classroom without as much as saying a word to anyone. When he came out of the school building he sighed in relief and thought that he was safe. What he didn't know was that the person he had been running from had nearly caught up to him as he started making his way back home in peace.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

"This time I'll catch you for sure Uzumaki!", Sasuke determined as he ran through the somewhat-empty-due-to-club rooms-being-used-and-students-staying-later-to-discuss-an-upcoming-school trip corridor.

He ran out and looked around hastily. Then he saw how blonde strands of hair disappeared behind a corner.

"It's now or never!", he thought as he ran after the blonde.

He caught up with Naruto, but just when he reached out to grab his hand, the glasses boy turned around in the blink of an eye, pulled away and started running. Sasuke froze because of the unexpected development.

- Uzumaki! Wait! he shouted desperately, although he was well aware that the blonde wouldn't stop running until he was out of reach.

Sasuke sighed heavily and dropped down onto the asphalt. He recalled the total of three times the other boy had run away from him that day: Before school started the glasses-wearing boy had passed by the surprised raven as if he was air, during lunch he had disappeared off to the toilets and stayed there the entire time and just now he had run for his life as if Sasuke carried a disease of some sort.

"That concludes it. He's definitely avoiding me".

_**Dinner in the Uchiha mansion:**_

- Your cooking skills surely have improved a lot mother, Itachi complimented an unusually cheerful Setsuna as he took a sip from the expensive wine.

- You think? I'm really glad to hear that, she replied delightedly.

- I can't deny the fact that I've never eaten more delicious food than yours, her husband agreed.

Now Setsuna looked completely flustered, but tried to keep her dignity.

- Thank you honey, she smiled.

The youngest member of the family was eating slowly and absentmindedly, not really following the conversation, but noticed from the corner of his eye how happy his mother looked and realized that it had to be about her cooking.

- It's good, he said quietly.

His mother paid him a quick glance and a 'thanks' and then continued her conversation with the older son and husband.

Sasuke was slightly taken aback with how his parents were a lot more talkative than usual during dinner. It didn't really bother him at the moment though, because no matter how much he denied it, he really did want to hear _everything _from Itachi's perspective. There was so much he wanted to ask, yet he was afraid of the answers.

- ..So how was it like to live in Tokyo? he heard his mother ask in polite anticipation, causing him to tense up a bit.

- It's exactly how you'd expect it to be. Busy streets, crowds, criminals and so much more. It took me a fair amount of time to settle in, but luckily I had Reira by my side. She made it a lot more pleasant.

- Say Itachi.. You never truly told us what happened to your.. wife, Fugaku Uchiha stated politely, yet his voice sounded fairly suspicious.

Itachi let out a minor sigh.

- I'm sorry father.. for not visiting you and mother.. and Sasuke for years. There were a lot of things going on in Reira's life, so I wanted to be there for her.

- Personal matters? Setsuna asked cautiously.

- ..You could say that. It's not something she would wish for me to tell anyone, not even my beloved parents, about.

- So why are you here now? Sasuke asked with an icy voice all of a sudden, after listening intently to the discussion while melting into the background.

- Sasuke! Don't talk so rudely to your big brother! his mother exclaimed in horror as she turned to face her other son.

Itachi chuckled a little.

- Mother, it's okay. I understand if he's a little frustrated at me for not keeping in touch very much. Just give him some time to get accustomed to things, he said and smiled at mildly at his little brother.

Setsuna was about to open her mouth to say something, but then she hesitated and decided to stay silent.

- That didn't answer my question though, Sasuke muttered really quietly, quiet enough for nobody to hear as they once again engaged in a polite conversation.

"'Not very much'?", the raven thought to himself and smiled sadly.

"Not even once".

_**Later:**_

"I'm going to confront him. This way he can't escape. If I'm right about him then he won't even be able to find a reasonable excuse not to let me in", the young Uchiha concluded as he rang the doorbell to apartment number 17.

From the inside someone shouted 'Coming!' and not much later Sasuke saw the door open.

- Uchiha? the blonde standing in the doorway, wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt but no glasses, exclaimed in shock.

- Hey Uzumaki, the raven said calmly.

- Why did you come here..? Naruto asked warily.

- We need to talk, Sasuke replied with a serious tone.

- Do we really have to right now? I...

- Are you busy with something? Mind if I ask with what then?

- Erm.. no.. umm.. that's.., the blonde stuttered.

Without a warning the taller youth slipped inside.

- Hey! I didn't say you could come in..! Naruto yelled desperately.

- Don't worry. I won't do anything to you. I just wanted to tell you something, Sasuke said as he made himself comfortable in the living room.

Naruto said nothing, but closed the door with a sigh and joined the other boy in the living room.

They sat there on the couch next to each other in silence for a while, just staring at the floor and hearing the time pass by, until Naruto broke the silence, without looking up:

- So.. What did you want to tell me..?

Sasuke cleared his throat and looked up at the blonde with determination.

- Well.. First of all, I'd like to apologize. Clearly, you weren't ready for.. that. I really didn't intend to do it.. it just.. happened.

Naruto nodded slowly, cheeks turning a faint pink.

"Good. He doesn't hate me.. Rather, he just looks.. embarrassed?", Sasuke thought.

- It's just.. That was my.. first and all.. I was shocked and I didn't know what to think, Naruto then said, finally looking at the other boy and ignoring the fact that his face had become redder.

- Oh.. It was my first too..

Silence again.

- Um.. I noticed you aren't wearing your glasses, Sasuke said in an attempt to change the subject.

- Huh? Oh.. That. There's no point in wearing them when I'm alone in my apartment. They get in the way sometimes and stuff.., the blonde replied hestitantly.

- So what's the point in wearing them in school? the raven asked, trying not to sound too curious.

- Just in case...

- Just in case what? Sasuke questioned, not able to control his curiosity anymore.

- Nevermind, Naruto replied quickly and looked away with a trace of sadness in his blue eyes.

Sasuke looked worriedly at him.

"Is he alright? Did I ask something wrong? What should I do?"

- You don't need to reply. It's okay, he said then.

Naruto sighed in relief but his eyes still held a pained expression. Sasuke noted this and shuffled closer, trying to comfort the other boy. Automatically he grabbed Naruto's shoulders and put his arms around him, holding onto the blonde in a comforting grip. The surprised blonde's eyes widened, but without thinking he relaxed into the raven's hug.

As they broke apart Sasuke was surprised to see that Naruto's face had gone from looking pained to being red as a tomato. The other boy was desperately avoiding his gaze and something else now seemed to be bothering him. He looked as if he had just come to a shocking realization. Sasuke, on the other hand, had finally assured his own feelings.

"Naruto.."

- U..Uchiha.. I think I...

**Ohh, a cliffhanger. Sorry about that. It was just so tempting, I had to do it :)**

**About what AspergianStoryteller said: Before I wrote the last chapter I didn't really bother checking what the real names of Sasuke's parents are. I wanted to be a little creative and come up with a nice name for Sasuke's mom and I decided on Setsuna. I'll admit I have no clue what the meaning of the name is, but I think it's a pretty name and therefore it fits the image of the 'Uchiha lady'. I did become a little curious to know the truth though, so I confirmed what you said by searching it up on google. It's true, the name of Sasuke's mom is really Mikoto. It's a cute name, but I'm not intending to change Setsuna into Mikoto. This is just how I want it to be. Thanks for your review though :) **

**Too bad my imagination failed me when I tried to think of a name for Sasuke's dad. I ended up searching up his real name instead and it turns out it's Fugaku and now he's also Fugaku in this fanfic. Yes, I'm lame indeed. Here I'm trying to come up with my own ideas and I just fail. Oh well, I guess it's not a big deal (I hope)**

**You guys are probably confused about the 'Reira' matter. But don't worry, I'll reveal it all in the coming chapters. So just be patient, just as you're patient with my crappy spelling and way too slow updating pace :)**

**Oh and thanks to everyone who has left a review so far. I'll have you know I'm extremely grateful, reviews are what keep us fanfic authors continue writing and inspire us. I'm looking forward to more reviews in the future :D**


	7. Momentary Happiness

_**Chapter 7: 'Momentary Happiness'**_

"Naruto.."

- U..Uchiha.. I think I...

_**Brrr!**_

A loud ringing was heard.

Sasuke frowned, nonetheless excused himself and cleared his throat before answering the intruding call, checking the name of the caller out of habit.

- Hello, mother.

- Sasuke, where are you right now? I thought you went upstairs, but you weren't there, so I became worried..

- Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to announce that I was leaving. I'm.. at a friend's apartment.

"It feels odd to say that.. I think I never have visited a friend other than Uzumaki, ever".

There was a short silence on the other end, until the surprised Setsuna replied hesitantly;

- Is that so? Is.. your friend someone I know?

- Yes, it's Uzumaki. You remember him, right mother?

- I see! You should ask him to come over here sometime again, he seemed like such a nice boy! Setsuna exclaimed in delight as the puzzle was solved.

Sasuke was slightly taken aback by his mother's enthusiasm, but regarded it as something unimportant to understand.

- I will.. Um.. Mother, by when should I be home?

- Ah.. It's not very late now, is it. If you would like to you can stay out until 9.30.

- Okay, thanks. Was there anything else you wanted to ask?

- No, I just wanted to make sure you were fine. Have fun Sasuke, the pleased mother replied and hung up, as did her son.

Sasuke turned back to Naruto, whose face had regained it's usual color, even though the boy himself seemed to be feeling slightly uneasy.

- Sorry about that.. N..Uzumaki, what were you going to tell me? Sasuke asked carefully.

- Oh, that. It's.. nothing, Naruto said quietly and stared at his own hands as his face once again turned faint pink.

Sasuke looked at the blonde with interest.

- You sure? he asked then.

- Yeah.. Um.. I think I forgot, Naruto replied insecurely, sounding bewildered by his own words or thoughts, Sasuke wasn't sure.

- That's alright. Do you want me to leave now?

- Nah, you don't have to. You can stay for a while if you want. I don't have much to do anyway, Naruto said with a shrug, still not looking up.

Sasuke didn't reply, but continued to look at him. A part of the Uchiha wanted to stay, to be with the one he loved, but another part of him felt awkward knowing he was in love with his only friend without knowing how the other boy felt about him. He also didn't really like the tense atmosphere between them. The blonde seemed to have forgiven him for stealing his first kiss, however that didn't make it less awkward and both of them were aware of it. Even so, there was still the Itachi matter to worry about, which simplified the raven's choice.

- Hmm.. Okay, I'll stay then, Sasuke decided.

At last Naruto looked up from his hands to face the other teen with his usual cheerful expression.

- Want to watch a movie Inuzuka (AN: For those of you who don't know, Inuzuka is the last name of Kiba) lent me yesterday? I was gonna watch it by myself, but two is better than one right? So, what do you say?

- That's sounds good.

- I'll get the popcorn then! Stay here.. or look around if you want. I don't have much stuff though.. mostly just a bunch of crap, Naruto said with an apologetic grin and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Junk, huh..", Sasuke thought amusedly as he stood up to look around in the living room. Asides from the couch, TV, DVD-player and a table full of the 'crap' his friend had mentioned, such as old magazines or empty pizza boxes, Sasuke merely spotted a bookcase standing in the middle of the room against the wall. He walked up to the bookcase and saw that it only had a few books. He didn't pay much attention to them though. The only thing that caught his interest was an upside-down photograph. He glanced around to make sure the owner of the apartment hadn't come back and then carefully picked the picture up to look at it. It was a little blurry, but he could see the blonde, bright little boy holding hands with an adult, most probably his mother, while grinning widely.

"What a sweet picture", Sasuke thought and smiled slightly.

"But I wonder why it was upside-down.. And where are his parents anyway? As far as I can tell, he seems to be living by himself.. It's rather suspicious. I better ask him about it someday, maybe he'll tell me.."

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard Naruto approaching the living room. He hurriedly placed the picture back down in its previous state and returned to the couch, looking as natural as he could.

**Naruto's PoV:**

It was Monday. Yet another normal day at the start of another normal week for a normal schoolboy. This blonde boy in particular however, was in an unusually good mood. He arrived surprisingly early at school and went to take his usual seat before English class. Few other students were seen in the classroom. There was only one explanation to the boy's change in attitude..

_~ Flashback ~_

_After the raven-haired boy had gone home Naruto didn't feel like doing anything special. He was just lying on the couch, resting his mind and body. He knew he should have cleaned the place a little, but he simply ignored the knowledge. Instead he let an unfamiliar feeling take over: Satisfaction. Yes, he was finally satisfied, something he hadn't been in a long time. After his friend's visit he felt like things had at last cleared up between them. Sure, he still didn't know what to think of that sudden kiss, there were other unknown emotions threatening to show themselves and he still wondered what he had wanted to tell Sasuke before his mother had called and interrupted him, however all that didn't matter during that moment. All that mattered was that he now felt comfortable referring to the young Uchiha as his 'friend', no more or less. They were friends.. For some reason that thought made Naruto all warm inside. Before the whole mess had started their relationship had seemed rather odd and he hadn't even known what to call the other youth. The blonde had often wondered if they really were friends.. or maybe just.. classmates? But now he knew, they were definitely friends and at that moment he didn't ever want that fact to change. It was funny, how a kiss, a visit and a simple apology could change everything – and how misleading it would sound if one were to voice this thought out in the open. Naruto didn't care how or why it happened. He was just happy to have finally regained his composure and to be able to live normally again._

_~ Flashback End ~_

When he woke up from his daydreaming he noted that the classroom was starting to fill up with classmates, friends and enemies, including Sasuke Uchiha. He also had that creepily familiar feeling of being watched. This time he didn't bother to ignore it though, instead he turned around slowly. There she was again, the 'weird girl' with the long, black hair. Hinata Hyuga.

"Why did I even forget that she's the one sitting behind me?", Naruto wondered.

To the blonde's surprise he noticed that she was the one who had been staring at him.

- Err.. Hello Hyuga-chan..? he said hesitantly.

...

Her cheeks flushed and she become tomato red, realizing that she had been caught staring.

- Hi.. Uzumaki-kun, she replied inaudibly.

- Umm.. Did you want to say something to me?

- Wha..What makes you think that? the embarrassed girl asked with a shaky voice and averted her eyes.

- Hmm.. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I just thought someone was looking at me. That wasn't you then? Naruto said thoughtfully and rubbed his chin softly.

At that her eyes widened and she had a hard time coming up with something to say.

- A..ano.. D..do you remember that.. project Iruka-sensei t..told us about?

- Hmm.. Oh that, yeah I remember it. What about it?

- W..Well.. he told us we could choose.. pairs, right? Hinata stuttered.

- That's right. You wanna be with me then, Hyuga-chan?

- I..if you want to.. I.. guess, she replied shyly.

- Then it's settled, Naruto smiled, happy to have found a pair for the project so easily.

Hinata nodded and showed him a shy smile for a brief second, before quickly looking down to hide her joy.

"Is she shy or something?" the slow boy questioned as he glanced at the black-haired girl curiously.

"Maybe I should become her friend then. She seems nice enough, unlike some girls in this class.." he thought as he turned away from the innocent girl to scan the classroom, now full of classmates.

_**After school:**_

Naruto was gathering his books and getting ready to go home as he heard someone call him:

- Uzumaki! Are you coming to the arcade?

It was Shikamaru Nara. Next to him was Chouji Akimichi and Kiba Inuzuka, who had a grin on his face.

Naruto glanced around discretly in search of his raven-haired friend, but to the blonde's disappointment he seemed to had already gone home.

- Sure, why not? he responded then and ran up to the other three.

Naruto and his friends would visit a nearby arcade from time to time to relax and have fun after school. Afterwards they would often go home to one of them and have something to eat. That day seemed to Naruto like a perfect day to hang out, so he agreed happily.

_**At the arcade:**_

- Time to play! Naruto exclaimed cheerily.

Next to him Chouji nodded excitedly in agreement. Kiba looked at Shikamaru and smirked evilly, to which the lazy boy rolled his eyes and shrugged. Naruto stared confusedly at them.

- Hey Uzumaki.. Did you know that there are some rumors about you at school? Kiba asked, still smirking.

- That old thing about me being on bad terms with Uchiha again? Naruto sighed.

- No.. Actually, it's the opposite.. I think, Kiba replied.

- Huh?

- Inuzuka heard some girls saying that you seem to have been spending time with the guy lately, Shikamaru explained in a bored tone.

- Oh, that! But I thought we came here to play, not to talk! Naruto whined.

The other three glanced at each other, until Kiba decided to give in.

- Fine. But you'll have to tell us about it when we're at Nara's place later. Deal?

- Alright then. I promise. Now come on! Naruto said and dragged the others further into the arcade, thinking:

"I'll just tell them a little. No need to discuss the details. I have no clue how they'd react if I told them about the kiss. And I bet Uchiha, if not the fangirls, would kill me if I let rumors like that spread around".

A small shiver went down his spine as he thought about that.

_**Shikamaru's home:**_

- Well? Kiba said expectantly as he sat down on the floor in Shikamaru's room, fixing his eyes on Naruto.

The addressed blonde sighed while sitting down opposite of Kiba, with Shikamaru and Chouji on his right and left side.

- There's not much to say, really. We just started talking and became friends, Naruto answered and looked at his friends' curious faces.

"Even Nara seems to be a tiny bit interested..", he thought, fascinated.

- That's it? Kiba asked, doubt clear in his voice.

- Yup. You know, he's not really that bad once you get to know him.

- But I thought he's really stuck up and doesn't talk to people of his own age.. At least that's what I've heard, Chouji reasoned while chewing thoughtfully on a chocolate cookie, taken from a plate of 'sweets' brought in by Shikamaru's mother.

- And wasn't he the one who kept glaring at you before as if you had offended his family or something? Shikamaru filled in.

- He did, but.. That's just what people think he's like! You shouldn't take those rumors so seriously. He's actually quite fun to hang out with, despite being a rich kid, Naruto said frustratedly.

- Hmm.. Maybe he's the kind of guy who accepts some people, while seeing everyone else as trash not worth wasting his time on? Kiba wondered.

- If that's the case, then why would he 'accept' this idiot? Shikamaru said with a yawn.

- Hey! I'm not an idiot! And I don't know! Why don't you ask the guy himself if you want to know so badly?

- I bet he wouldn't reply anyway, Kiba snorted.

- You never know before you try, Naruto retorted irritably.

- Whatever. I don't feel like gossiping like a girl anymore. How about we just forget about it for now? Shikamaru suggested.

"Phew. Thanks Nara. This is starting to get tireing", Naruto thought in relief.

- Argh! Fine! I give up. This guy doesn't help at all anyway! Kiba exclaimed, pointing at his blonde friend rudely.

Naruto shrugged and copied Chouji's action of picking up a cookie from the plate.

_**Later, on the way home: **_

Naruto was pondering as he wandered slowly on the sidewalk;

"Hmm.. It seems they won't bother asking me about Uchiha for a while now. That's good, but I still can't believe I totally forgot about the school trip! It's like really soon too.. I've been that busy avoiding that guy and stupid things like that, huh? Well, it's partly because I transferred here not so long ago too.. Ah, it's already been two months though. It's hard to believe how fast time passes. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the trip! It's gonna be fun!".

While rounding a corner the blonde almost bumped into someone.

- Ah! Sorry! he excused himself, before looking up and recognizing who the girl was.

- Oh, it's Hinata Hyuga-chan! What are you doing here?

The girl stared blankly at him for a few seconds, until an always-present blush spread across her face.

- U..Uzumaki-kun! Um.. I.. was just picking up s..some groceries for m..my mother, she stuttered quietly, almost whispering.

- Oh, that's nice, Naruto grinned.

None of them said anything for a while. Then Naruto decided to break the silence.

- So, are you going to Hiroshima? he asked curiously.

- I'm.. not sure, Hinata responded dutifully, looking down in an attempt to hide her blush.

- Really? I think you should go. After all, the more the merrier, right?

- H..hai.. If.. If Uzumaki-kun says so..

- Of course! We're friends right? the said boy assured her, flashing a sunny smile.

Hinata's blush intensified and her eyes widened slightly.

- F..friends? she questioned hopefully.

- Yeah.. Unless you hate me or something, Naruto chuckled.

- No! I mean..! I don't hate you Uzumaki-kun, the flustered girl stated while nervously glancing at the cheerful boy.

- Good! Then I'll hope to see you on the trip. I better get home now. Good luck with the grocery shopping Hyuga-chan! Naruto said before leaving with a wave.

- Hai.. Uzumaki-kun, Hinata whispered as the boy disappeared out of her sight, a dazed smile on her face.

_**Next day, school:**_

- Listen up class! Iruka demanded impatiently.

- What's up Iruka-sensei? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Kiba teased, earning a laugh from the other students.

Iruka simply ignored the comment and cleared his throat.

- The student council president would like to have your attention for a while, he said and sat down in front of his desk.

The said person rose up from her seat as if having been called and walked up to the front, eyeing her classmates.

- As you all can guess, this is about the upcoming school trip to Hiroshima in two weeks, Sakura Haruno explained, stopped to make sure everyone was listening and continued in a neutral tone;

- This lesson we will be deciding room mates. We will be drawing lots (A/N: This is the only translation I could find for this, but I'm not quite sure if you say it this way. Sorry if it's wrong) to see who shares a room with who. Girls and boys are in separate buildings.

A low murmur was heard from the rest of the class, some people whispering things like 'We have to be apart from the girls? Damn, I was looking forward to this too!' in a disapproving tone, 'That's great! This time the guys won't be playing tricks on us in the middle of the night' or 'Yeah, some of us want to get our beauty sleep', others just sitting there, waiting for the president to continue.

Sakura cleared her throat irritably.

- In case there's anyone who won't be joining the rest of us to Hiroshima, please inform your room mate and Iruka-sensei before the end of this week. Okay, we'll be starting now! she then announced loud and clear.

_**10 minutes later:**_

- Alright! I'm with Nara! Kiba shouted cheerily, earning a sharp glare from Iruka.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

- Great, he said unenthusiastically.

Kiba didn't notice his friend's lack of response. Instead he turned to Naruto and asked:

- Who are you sharing a room with Uzumaki?

Naruto glanced at Sasuke and their eyes met for a brief second, before he replied:

- Uchiha.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

_**Outside of the classroom, after the first lesson:**_

Sighing, Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

"Normally I'd be happy to be sharing a room with Uzumaki, but it just feels awkward now when I've realized how I feel about him. How am I going to act? I don't want to loose his trust again. I must remain 'one of his friends' and never do anything reckless like that one time again. Will I be able to control myself? This is going to be really nerve-wrecking..", he thought despairingly, failing to notice the fan girls approaching, until one of them clinged onto him.

- Ne Sasuke-sama, what are you thinking about? the red-haired girl with matching red cheeks and sparkling eyes asked as she stared right into his eyes, holding onto his arm possessively.

- None of your business, he responded coldly and made himself free from her grip.

- Hey! That's not fair Eri-chan! Don't keep him to yourself! Let us touch too! the other five girls shouted angrily as they surrounded the poor frustrated boy.

- Wait a second girls! a loud voice demanded from further down the corridor.

- What do you think you're doing to Sasuke-kun? Did you forget the rules again? another voice questioned angrily.

Two very upset girls walked into the scene with their arms crossed.

- We just wanted to talk to Sasuke-kun a little, a short, blonde girl replied stubbornly, facing them.

Sakura was clearly furious as she replied back;

- Don't you dare call him 'Sasuke-kun!' Only I and Ino, being the president and vice president, can call him that! You and the rest of the nobodies must add '-sama'!

Sasuke watched the scene, desperately wishing to be somewhere else.

- That's right! And how many times do we have to tell you that Sasuke-kun belongs to all of us? That means NO touching without permission! Ino stated harshly.

- S..Sorry president, vice-president. It won't happen again, the red-haired girl called Eri said dejectedly, facing the floor.

- Good! Sakura said sternly, glaring at the six fan girls, then giving a soft smile to Sasuke, before turning around to walk back into the classroom.

Ino followed her without as much as a word. The rest of the girls apologized hastily to the raven-haired boy and turned to leave, disappointment and shame written on their faces. Sasuke, on the other hand, breathed out in relief.

"Sometimes that pink-haired annoyance can be of use", he thought with a smirk and pushed himself off his leaning position to walk into the same room as the said girl.

_**After school:**_

As he slowly wandered through the corridor he wondered whether his blonde friend had yet gone home. Since their homes were in the same direction they had begun to walk home together from time to time, or at least they had done so before things had become complicated. The answer came to him as he exited the gray brick building and entered the back of the school yard, taking a familiar shortcut while facing the ground, once again deep in thought.

- Uchiha! There you are! I was beginning to wonder if you had gone home already! Look look, it's snowing! Naruto exclaimed cheerily from where he was standing a bit away from Sasuke, waving frantically like a lost child who had just found his mother.

Sasuke looked up to face the other boy and only then did he notice the tiny, white snowflakes falling down from the sky.

- Yeah, I can see that. Funny though, I was thinking the same thing, he grinned as he sped up slightly and stopped next to the blonde.

- Nah, I thought I'd wait for you this time, Naruto responded with a light chuckle.

Sasuke smiled amusedly at the other boy's joke.

- Good. All that running didn't have a good effect on me, he retorted.

- Maybe you're getting old then!

- You and me both.

- Hey! I'm in quite good shape you know! Naruto pouted.

- I can tell, Sasuke remarked sarcastically.

Naruto shrugged and hit the raven-haired boy's arm lightly with a playful grin as they both began to walk.

- At least better than you, grandpa! he said then, earning a chuckle from Sasuke.

- Anyway, so what do you think about us sharing a room? Sasuke asked suddenly out of curiosity.

Naruto thought about it for a moment, tapping his chin lightly with his index finger.

"He looks so cute when he tries to think deeply about something", Sasuke found himself thinking, before smacking himself mentally.

"I shouldn't think like that".

- It's gonna be fun, don't you agree? I just hope you don't bring a lot of unnecessary things to lay around on the floor. It's better not to pack too many things. It's just three days after all, Naruto finally replied.

- Me? That sounds much more like something you would do Uzumaki, Sasuke snorted, a bit offended by the blonde's belief.

- Nah, I never bring too many things with me. I just thought you seemed like the type to do that, being rich and all.

Sasuke just shook his head with a smile as they continued towards their homes.

"That's so typical of you. Anyhow, this trip might actually turn out to be interesting", he thought to himself, walking side by side with his secret crush as the snow whirled around in the cold winter breeze.

* * *

**Ahh! Gomenasai! This chappie is pretty boring isn't it? :/ Nothing much really happens and god, so much about school is mentioned. But I suppose it's for you readers to kind of get a better hold of how our fav boys' school life is like. And also, I really wanted to include Hinata in this story more and while it may be a minor one I still wanted her to have some part in Naruto's life too. It's just because Hinata is my favorite female character in Naruto. Actually I was a major NaruHina fan before I became a fujoshi aka yaoi fan girl. So yes, she deserves a role too, even if some of you might not agree. I can't say I feel the same way about Sakura though. She's sort of the 'villain' in this story. Sorry if this offends the Sakura fans, but I just.. don't like her, to put it mildly, but since she's one of the main characters in Naruto I wanted to give her a role as well and she turned out to be the evil b*tch, not surprisingly. **

**The thing about the fan girls is, as you might have guessed by now, a pretty common thing for Sasuke to go through, the poor guy. He can't help it that he's good looking, ne? :/**

**One good thing (or the only good thing in my opinion) about Sakura though is that she is an expert at keeping the random fan girls away, as you have witnessed. They're all scared of the power of the 'student council president', which is also part of the reason she took up to job, to protect Sasuke because she obviously likes him. And of course she has Ino to back her up as the vice president.**

**As for Naruto: He has it much easier in school, at least for now. Sure, the fan girls hate him, but he has a bunch of friends since he's pretty social and likeable, including Hinata :)**

**I must say I had planned on updating this chappie quite a bit earlier than this, but things got in the way. For example, I went to London for nearly a week and afterwards I was just too tired to write, so I ended up delaying the writing for this chappie 2 weeks or so (such a long delay o.0) I know, I always make excuses and stuff, but what can I say? I'm very irresponsible and lazy sometimes. Thank god I don't get paid for this xD **

**After I finished the last part of this chappie I realized something horrible. I've completely forgotten, until now, to mention what month or time of the year this story is currently taking place in. For those of you who are interested, this is how it is:**

**In late August, before Naru-chan's new school term had started, Minami and Satoshi decided to talk to him about moving to Konoha. **

**One month later, at the end of September, they moved.**

**The beginning of this story takes place in early November.**

**Right now we're at the end of November.**

**So the whole time, ever since chapter 1, it's been early winter.**

**The pace of this fanfic is quite slow, as you might have noticed.**

**...**

**I should maybe explain about Konoha and other locations as well...**

**As most of you know Konoha is a fictional village and the main village in Naruto, where Naruto and the rest grew up. It's also known as 'The Hidden Leaf Village'.**

**To make this story a little more realistic I've decided to also use real places in Japan. Here Konoha is a rather small area in Osaka, which is in the Kansai region.**

**Naruto's cousin, Yuiko, lives in another famous prefecture in Kansai called Kyoto. **

**For the upcoming trip the class is going to Hiroshima, which is in the Chugoku region, next to the Kansai region.**

**There, that's that.**

**The next chappie will perhaps be a little more interesting than this one, so I hope you people will look forward to it :)**


	8. Brothers, Classmates And Homework

_**Chapter 8: 'Brothers, Classmates And Homework'**_

Sitting next to his blonde friend in the school diner on a seemingly uneventful Thursday, a rather uncomfortable raven-haired boy could be seen, without wanting to be seen.

Sasuke wasn't blind, nor was he stupid. He could feel the looks the other students were giving him. Some of them were just curious, while others disapproved of the constant dark aura surrounding the Uchiha. He presumed that Naruto's other friends weren't very happy to have him there. Really, it was obvious with the way they were glancing at him every other minute. Then there was the other problem, the much bigger problem to be exact, in the form of the Sasuke Uchiha fan club. If looks could kill Naruto would have been very dead right then. However, the blonde was completely oblivious to his own situation, which made Sasuke think of the well-known saying 'Ignorance is bliss'. Unfortunately for the raven he was much different from his only friend. Just sitting there made him feel as if he was choking. He wanted to escape so badly, but even though Naruto was the one who had dragged him to his table Sasuke knew him well enough to realize that leaving now would have greatly offended him and the young Uchiha wasn't very willing to risk his friendship again. So he figured he had to endure it until the lunch break was over.

- Let me guess, she kicked you out again after failing that math test? Naruto questioned with an amused tone, directing his gaze to Kiba.

- Can you believe it? My mom is so cruel sometimes! Thank god Nara's mom is nice enough to let me stay at his place! But it still sucks! Kiba wailed.

- How long am I going to have to put up with you then? We're even roommates during the trip to Hiroshima.. I'm doomed, Shikamaru said with a heavy sigh as he poked his lunch.

- Come on Nara, that's what friends are for right? Kiba grinned cheekily.

The others laughed at their antics, except Sasuke who was busy trying not to glare disapprovingly at Chouji, who was currently stuffing his face to his full extent with junk food, and Sai who sat still like a robot. Secretly Sasuke wondered how on earth such a guy could make friends with people while he couldn't, but he quickly shrugged that thought away.

"I don't need other friends. I have Uzumaki. He's all I need".

- So how are things going Uchiha? Naruto asked all of a sudden, now looking directly at the unprepared raven.

- Just fine, thanks, Sasuke replied neutrally.

Everyone else glanced at Sasuke, then at Naruto.

- See, I told you guys he doesn't say much. Why don't you talk more Uchiha? And how come you're friends with this idiot? Kiba asked mockingly, pointing at Naruto with his thumb.

- I..

- Don't talk to him like that! a female voice cut in.

"Oh great, here we go again", Sasuke thought sarcastically, though he was a little relieved that he didn't have to respond to the somewhat rude question. After all, what was he going to say? 'I just don't have anything in common with you people and Uzumaki is different, cause I'm in love with him'? Not likely. And saying things like that (that he didn't have anything in common with them) would've made him seem even more arrogant than they already believed him to be. It was fine as long as they simply didn't like him, but to be _hated _by Naruto's friends would've been a little too much, even to Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura Haruno, the president, appeared out of nowhere again, followed by her 'underlings', glaring dangerously at the oblivious blonde next to Sasuke. Then she faced Sasuke with a soft, sweet smile.

- Ne Sasuke-kun, won't you come join us at your usual table over there, please? she asked innocently, knowing well that the table her crush was sitting at right then was pretty much full, there was just one vacant seat and that was the chair on Naruto's right side.

- No thank you, Sasuke stated firmly, without looking up at the pink-haired girl.

"I prefer sitting next to Uzumaki, even with his friends who clearly dislike me. It's much better than being surrounded by those crazy girls. Not being allowed to touch me doesn't make them less annoying".

Sakura looked utterly disappointed and became speechless for a moment. She, the president, had just been flatly rejected. She wasn't used to that kind of treatment, even though her crush had shown absolutely no interest in her so far. When she pulled herself together she turned back to Naruto with the same fierce glare.

- Uzumaki..! You..! Who told you you could drag Sasuke-kun away like that? He doesn't belong to you! I don't want to see this kind of behavior again, understood?

"B..belong to him?", Sasuke thought with a blush that went unnoticed by everyone but himself. He wouldn't have minded that kind of thing at all, was it not for the fact that the girl clearly didn't mean it the way he wanted her to.

Naruto stared at her, dumbfounded.

- Umm... I didn't say anything like that. I just thought he might want to have lunch with the rest of us. After all, it doesn't hurt to try something else, right?

- Hmph! He's too good for you commoners! the furious president declared harshly.

Then she turned to leave dramatically with the rest of the fan girls tailing after her, none of them forgetting to throw an equally furious glare towards the poor glasses boy.

The boys, except for Sasuke and Naruto who were already more than used to the fan girls' outbursts, stared after them, until Kiba spoke up;

- Man, those girls are so loud. What do they like abo... I mean why do they always have to start an argument at _our _table? Don't they have anything else to complain about?

- I have no clue. I just don't understand girls. I can't see how you survive around them Uchiha, Naruto responded with a defeated sigh.

Sasuke shrugged indifferently, but deep down he felt guilty. It was all because of him that the blonde had to withstand the yelling and complaining. How he wished the fan girls would just.. disappear. That way his male classmates would have accepted him and he would have felt much more welcome in the presence of Naruto. Yes, things would have been so much easier if it wasn't for the obsessive fan girls.

The rest of the lunch break luckily passed by without any interruptions.

_**On the way home: **_

- Uzumaki..

- What?

- Umm.. About earlier.. with the girls.., Sasuke started, glancing at the other boy through his dark bangs.

- Ah, those. They're really annoying, huh? Naruto chuckled, facing forward as he walked.

- Yeah.. You know, I'm sorry about that. It's my fault they treat you that way.. I wish they would transfer schools or something..

- Wait! What did you just say? You just _apologized _to me about something that isn't your fault? Naruto interrupted in disbelief.

- But it is. You know it is.., Sasuke replied sadly.

Naruto stopped walking all of a sudden and grabbed Sasuke's shoulders, looking straight into the dark eyes of the raven.

- Listen to me Uchiha. I'm not that stupid, okay? I don't blame you at all. It's not your fault those girls are shallow and obsessed with you. I've seen the way you treat them and it still amazes me how they keep sticking around you, no matter what you say. It's not like you can do anything about it and it's not such a big deal to me. I say they're annoying, but what can they do? Even though Haruno is the pres it's not like she can control my actions or anything. She's mostly just talk. I know they consider me not 'good enough' to be your friend and that's fine with me. We just need to keep quiet about our friendship to them so that things don't get any worse, right? I've told the guys to shut up about it, but if the girls somehow found out that I've been to your house and not them _that's _when I should worry about myself. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna leave you with them all the time. You need to get away once in a while, or else you'll go crazy, ne? Right now I'm the one who should be worried about you, he explained.

Sasuke, who had been startled by the sudden intense eye contact, slowly took in the calming words of his blonde friend.

- I don't think I've ever heard you say that much at once, he teased, before continuing with a serious tone;

- So.. it's okay? It doesn't bother you that much then?

- That's what I just said. I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me. I'd rather have the girls hating me than losing you as a friend, Naruto assured him with a smile.

"I didn't know I meant _that _much to him. It makes me feel.. happy though", Sasuke thought as he returned the smile.

- Then it's a deal. We'll let the annoyances say whatever they like.

- Hai. So what are you doing today? Naruto asked, changing the subject.

- Today.. Not much. My dad is gone for a business trip, but mom should be home.. That reminds me.. She's been asking me to invite you over again someday. I think she really took a liking to you.

- Really? Naruto grinned happily.

- Yep. So, how about today?

- Huh?

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

- Are you busy today or you wanna come over right now? With the sounds of it, mom won't mind at all.

- I can? That sounds like fun! I'll come! Naruto exclaimed cheerfully.

- Let's go then.

_**The Uchiha residence:**_

- Mother, I'm home! Sasuke announced as he and Naruto made their way inside.

No reply came. Sasuke turned to Naruto.

- Sometimes she doesn't hear me if she's too engrossed with something. We should tell her you're here though. Come on, he said, motioning Naruto to follow into the kitchen.

There was no Setsuna in the kitchen, however a quite short-haired woman in a maid uniform, who had been busy cleaning, turned around and lit up as she saw the young Uchiha.

- Sasuke-sama! Welcome home! she said and bowed respectfully.

- Thanks Shizune-san, Sasuke replied with a gentle smile.

Shizune had been working for the Uchihas since Sasuke was 11 years old and she was one of the few people he tended to get along with really well, to the point that he could almost call her a 'friend'.

- Your mother is resting right now. She would have liked to help me out today as well, but I insisted that she takes a break, Shizune explained, flashing a friendly smile of her own.

- I see..

Shizune was about to return to her cleaning, before she spotted the blonde standing behind Sasuke.

- Oh my, how rude of me! I didn't see your friend Sasuke-sama! she exclaimed and bowed once again, this time directed towards Naruto, as she introduced herself;

- My name is Shizune and I'm the house maid here. You can always ask me if you need anything, Okyakusan-sama (= guest).

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly and bowed slightly in return.

- Um.. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you Shizune-san.

- Uzumaki is my friend and classmate from school. Shizune-san lives and works here on a daily basis, whenever she doesn't have a day off, Sasuke filled in, glancing from Shizune to Naruto.

Then he turned back to Shizune.

- I hope it's okay with mother that I brought him here. I didn't tell her, but I figured she'd be delighted..

Shizune contemplated this information for a moment, until recognition dawned upon her.

- You're Uzumaki-san? I'm sure Setsuna-sama will be more than fine with it then. She's mentioned you a few times actually, she said and smiled reassuringly.

- She has? Naruto blurted, before quickly covering his mouth, blushing as he realized he had sounded rather rude.

Shizune giggled slightly and Sasuke smiled amusedly at his friend.

- Yes, that's right Uzumaki-san. She really enjoys visitors, especially if they're friends of Sasuke-sama.

- We'll be going upstairs now Shizune-san, Sasuke stated politely as he noticed his friend's discomfort.

- Of course Sasuke-sama. Call me if you need anything, the maid replied with a broad smile.

After the boys had bowed to Shizune as 'bye for now', Sasuke took the overwhelmed Naruto with him to his room.

**Naruto's PoV:**

- I don't think I'd ever get used to being rich, Naruto stated as he seated himself on Sasuke's desk chair.

- If you're born into this kind of household it becomes natural, Sasuke, who was sitting on his bed, replied offhandedly.

Naruto wanted to argue the fact, however he knew it was true and decided to stay silent, only responding with a shrug.

"I just remembered.. This is the room where.. _that _happened..!", he thought and gulped subconsciously.

Despite forcing himself to look away he could suddenly see Sasuke out of the corner of his eye, shifting uncomfortably in his bed. Apparently the raven had realized it as well.

"Baka! Stop it! I hate myself for being so wary! He told me he'd never to such a crazy thing again for god's sake!".

Sasuke cleared his throat, stood up and walked up to Naruto's side, stopping in front of the desk. Naruto jumped slightly, before forcing his heart and flaming cheeks to calm down.

- Um.. So, while we wait for my mother to wake up we could get some homework done.. What do you say? Sasuke suggested as he took his schoolbag from its spot on top of the desk and went to sit back down, tilting his head a little towards his blonde friend in question.

- Huh? Oh.. Y..yeah! Of course, wouldn't wanna leave that until the last minute right? Naruto answered, awkwardly stumbling on words.

- Good. I'll help you out a little if you need help with anything, Sasuke offered with a smile.

- Humph! Just because you're the smartest in our class, it doesn't mean that I'm dumb! Naruto declared firmly and crossed his arms with a grumpy pout.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.

- Oh really? Then how come you're among the people with the lowest grades? he questioned mockingly.

- Uh.. That's just because I'm lazy. I bet I could beat you if I really tried!

- I'd like to see you try, it would be quite interesting to see if you can do it, Sasuke said sarcastically.

- Okay, fine! I admit I might not be that smart, but at least I manage to do my homework! ... most of it. And I'm really good at PE too! So hah!

The raven-haired boy shook his head with an amused grin.

- I guess your PE skills sort of compensate for your lack of brains then, but enough about that. Let's get started, he said as he started pulling out books from his bag.

As an evil afterthought he added;

- And.. just so you know, I think I'd be a great teacher in case you need help after all..

- Screw you! Naruto hissed, causing Sasuke to laugh out loud.

_**2 hours later:**_

- Man, I'm beat! I'm gonna pass out if I do any more homework now! Naruto exclaimed where he was sitting on the floor and leaned against Sasuke to stretch his limbs.

- You're almost done Uzumaki. Can't you just be patient? Sasuke asked irritably, brushing the other boy off like the pest.

- But I'm hungry! Naruto whined.

Sasuke sighed and put down his pencil. Naruto supposed the raven had realized that there was no way the stubborn blonde was going to do any work on an empty stomach.

- I guess a break wouldn't hurt. Besides my mother should be awake by now. She trusts me so she doesn't always come to check if I'm home or not. Shizune-san usually takes a break around this time of the day and every other Thursday is her unofficial shopping day. Since my mother doesn't mind, Shizune-san just writes a quick note and takes her leave. It wouldn't surprise me if mother doesn't know you're here.

- Oh! Then let's go, let's go! Naruto exclaimed happily, placing his hands on Sasuke's shoulders and dragging the unprepared raven towards the door.

- Oi..! It's my home you know.., Sasuke muttered.

Naruto ignored him, but let go once they reached the door.

_**In the kitchen:**_

- Mother?

The always elegant Setsuna turned around from where she was preparing food to face her younger son.

- Oh, hi Sasuke...

She paused as she spotted the blonde boy next to the raven-haired one. Then her entire face lit up.

- Hi there! Welcome Uzumaki-kun! I've been asking Sasuke to bring you here again, she said enthusiastically, flashing a gorgeous smile at Naruto.

Before Naruto could respond Sasuke spoke up;

- So it's okay that I brought him here without telling you? It was kind of decided on a whim..

- Of course it is! I'm very happy to have you here! Come, take a seat! Setsuna exclaimed, gesturing towards the kitchen table.

Naruto did as told and took a seat at the table. Sasuke sat down next to him.

- Thank you Setsuna-san. I'm happy to be here too, Naruto assured Setsuna and smiled towards her with a slight blush.

"Smells good", he thought.

- So, how was school today? Setsuna, who had taken a break from preparing food and turned around to lean a little against the sink, asked with her eyes focused on the blonde boy.

- Ah.. It was.. okay, like usual. Nothing special happened. Right Uchiha?

- Yes, that sums it up.

- Oh, I see. Are you two hungry? Dinner will be ready soon, but I'm waiting for Itachi to come back from visiting an old friend. My husband won't be home for another two days though. Would you like to eat here Uzumaki-kun?

Naruto noticed how his friend tensed up at the mention of the name 'Itachi', but pretended not to see it in order to seem polite.

- If it's okay I would very much like that, he said instead, trying not to show how hungry he really was.

Setsuna's smile became yet wider and she turned around again to continue on dinner. Just as she was about to reply she spotted a familiar car arriving outside of the kitchen window.

- Oh, it seems like he's back now, she informed them happily instead.

Naruto, who had guessed that Itachi was Sasuke's brother, was undeniably curious about the older brother as he waited for him to walk into the room.

Three minutes later Itachi showed up.

- Mother, I'm back, he said and walked up to Setsuna.

- Welcome back Itachi! Setsuna exclaimed and gave him a motherly hug.

Naruto inspected the newcomer curiously.

"Wow. He looks a lot like Uch.. the younger Uchiha. He's like an older version of him. That's cool".

After breaking the hug Itachi turned towards Naruto.

- Oh, we have a guest? It's unusual for someone of Sasuke's age to come here..

Sasuke glared at Itachi, which seemed suspicious to the blonde and he swore to ask his friend about it later sometime.

- This is Sasuke's classmate, Naruto Uzumaki. Uzumaki-kun, this is Sasuke's brother, Itachi, Setsuna introduced them.

Naruto just nodded knowingly. Itachi seemed a little shocked though.

- Nice to meet you, Naruto said.

- Ah.. Nice to meet you too, Itachi responded hesitantly with a half-hearted smile.

"He must be surprised that his introverted brother actually has friends.. well one friend at least", Naruto concluded, suppressing a chuckle.

- Did you finish your homework Sasuke? Setsuna suddenly questioned her younger son.

- Almost, Sasuke replied shortly.

- Yeah, we're almost finished, but I might be slowing him down a little, Naruto added with a sheepish grin.

Itachi cocked an eyebrow.

- Say Uzumaki, did you come here to do a project with Sasuke? he asked then.

- Huh? No, we do have a project going on in school, but we're not a pair for that. I just came because I was invited, Naruto told him.

- Any more questions? Sasuke inquired all of a sudden, facing his brother with hostility in his dark eyes.

- Sasuke! his mother warned.

Naruto watched with fascination how his usually mature friend turned away from his brother with an irritated pout. The blonde had to suppress himself from laughing at the sight.

- No, that's all I wanted to know, Itachi replied, smiling at Naruto as if he hadn't noticed his little brother's irritation.

_**10 quiet minutes later:**_

- Okay, dinner's ready boys! Setsuna announced.

- Where's Shizune-san today mother? Itachi asked.

- She's on her well-earned break right now. She thought she should be the one to make dinner, but I assured her I'd be happy to take care of it while she's gone.

- That's nice of you, Itachi said with a smile.

Setsuna smiled back at him and placed the chicken hot pot on the middle of the table, which Sasuke had just finished setting. Then she sat down next to Itachi. Naruto sat next to the younger brother and opposite of Setsuna.

- Itadakimasu, all of them said in unison and started digging in.

"Finally! I thought my tummy would start making noises!".

- This is really good! Naruto exclaimed, tears forming in his eyelids due to the delicious taste.

Setsuna giggled delightedly.

- Do you really think so? she asked expectantly.

- Definitely! Naruto confirmed as he kept stuffing himself.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and Itachi smiled with amusement at his little brother's friend.

- Yes, it's delicious, Itachi said.

- I agree with Uzumaki, Sasuke said.

- Thank you, I'm so happy to hear that! Setsuna exclaimed, beaming as she always did when someone complimented her cooking.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

After half an hour of eating, talking about the upcoming school trip (and explaining why they were going to Hiroshima in the middle of winter: because they had been too busy with projects in school during autumn so it had been decided they would go before Christmas) among others things and Sasuke avoiding Itachi's gaze, the two teenagers returned to the youngest Uchiha's room.

- Do we really have to do homework? Naruto complained, rubbing his stuffed belly.

- Yep. Now get started, I don't want it to drag out the whole evening, Sasuke replied without as much as a glance at his friend.

- Che, fine, Naruto said with a pout and sat down flatly on the floor, pulling out his math book.

- Ne Uchiha.. What do they mean here? he asked, pointing at the text in the book.

"Not again..", Sasuke thought as he rubbed his temples, preparing for an oncoming headache.

- I thought you didn't need my help..? he inquired wearily.

- Oh come on! We went over this before! I can count, really! But why do they have to make it seem so complicated? Now tell me, tell me!

Sasuke sighed heavily as he took the book from the blonde's grasp and started reading what was written there.

- They do phrase it a little oddly, but why don't you just try to figure out what they mean yourself?

- Meh, it takes too long! Naruto exclaimed, pulling his hands up in defense.

- So I'm supposed to waste my time helping you figure out what should be done? I have my own work to do too, you know...

- But you said you'd help me! Naruto retorted, crossing his arms with a huff.

"I wish I hadn't", Sasuke thought despairingly.

- Okay okay, I get it. I'll help you out then, but afterwards you have to let me do my own homework. Deal?

- Hai! Naruto grinned.

Two and a half hours later, of doing homework and arguing in between talking normally, Naruto left to go home. Sasuke ended up alone in his room, sitting in his bed and leaning against the wall next to it.

"That went unexpectedly well. I thought I would feel uncomfortable because.. But it's okay and he didn't suspect anything. Thank God he's so dense. Sharing a room with him for three days might not be a big deal after all", Sasuke thought and smiled to himself as he recalled the number of times his crush had asked for help that day.

Deep down he actually didn't mind helping his blonde friend, in fact he quite enjoyed it, but he had to keep the cold front and not let too many emotions show. It was for the best, just like he felt safest avoiding conversations with Itachi as much as he could.

"That reminds me.. It's only a week until then now. I'll have to wait and see how it works out. At least it means three days away from Itachi", he concluded with a pleased smirk as he laid down, facing the wall.

* * *

**Another one of these pointless chapters huh? I know I said this one would be more interesting than the last one and I'm sorry if I disappointed**** you guys, but it just sorta.. ended up this way, not that it doesn't always work like that for me x_X**

**All I knew for sure was that I would not write about the trip quite yet. I guess that would just have been too much of a time skip for me. I think this might have made Sasu-kun and Naru-chan yet a little closer though, don'tcha agree? And Naru-chan got to meet Itachi! Even though it was a pretty boring meeting it was still something, ne? :)**

**My oldest sis, who is studying to become a hairdresser, just cut my hair and I'm happy cause it doesn't look like something the cat dragged inside anymore! :D Ok ok gomen gomen, I know you don't give a damn about that xD**

**Now then.. There's something I'd like to clarify, though I'm not sure if anyone cares, but if there's someone who is well taught on Japan who'd like to know what I meant at the end of the last chapter, then here we go:**

**As I said, in my story Konoha is a village in Osaka, but you see I looked into it a little further, because I can be a perfectionist sometimes and I don't want people to get irritated with me for being clueless, and I learned that in reality there's one single village in Osaka, called ****Chihayaakasaka****. Well basically what I'm doing is that I'm replacing that village with Konoha. In this story there is no village named Chihayaakasaka, but instead there's Konoha village where our 'friends' live. Get it? Just kidding, I know ya do :)**

**Incase you're interested to know how I come up with my chappies and stuff, then it might be about time I'm honest with you guys. Actually, I have no clue where the story is going right now. I just.. go with the flow. I can't _plan _a chappie, it just.. writes itself once I put my mind into it. Ofc, since I'm the author there are a few events I have planned out, but those are far in the future. Everything that's happening now is something I write on impulse. So yeah, if you were to ask me if I know anything about what happens in 2 chapters, then I'll just say 'nope, no idea'. I dunno if this makes my chappies worse than they could be (hope not!), but at least I edit them properly and try to get rid of every mistake I can spot. Most spelling and grammar errors are just my own stupidity kicking in. Sorry about those. Please do tell me if I there's something that seriously needs to be corrected though!**

**Anyway, about the next chappie? Yep, it's finally gonna be about the school trip, but I know about as much as you do for now, so we'll see what happens ;)**

**Don't forget to review, anything but horrible flaming is welcome! Thanks! :D**


	9. Sightseeing Trouble

_**Chapter 9: 'Sightseeing Trouble'**_

- Minna, we'll soon be arriving at the closed down boarding school, Kazekage, where we will be staying for the next three days, Kakashi announced over the faint sounds of the bus.

Cheers and other sounds could be heard from where the students were sitting.

- The school has three buildings, two of which are identical and we will be putting up a plank next to the door of each of those two buildings, which says either 'boys' or 'girls'. There will be no running in between those buildings, remember that!

Some of the students groaned, while others remained cheerful.

- When we arrive I want all of you to find your roommates and pick a number from this basket. The number you get is the number of your room, Kakashi said and pointed at a basket in his right hand which was full of small, white pieces of paper.

_**15 minutes later:**_

Sasuke had been sitting next to Naruto on the bus all the way, because none of them had anyone else to sit next to. Sasuke would never have sat with a girl and all of Naruto's other friends had already decided who would sit next to whom and they had 'forgotten' about the blonde. So during the whole journey Sasuke had had to endure his friend's abnormally repeated mood swings. He hadn't slept one bit and was quite worn out. For the last half an hour he had been watching Naruto lean against his shoulder and envying him for his ability to sleep anywhere and anytime. The guy hadn't even woken up during Kakashi's loud announcement, or anything else for that matter.

- Hey dobe, wake up. We're here, he said impatiently as he poked Naruto in the side.

- Just one more minute Yui-chan, Naruto mumbled, refusing to open his eyes.

Sasuke saw the other students leave the bus and frowned.

- Oi.. Get up, right now! he shouted in the blonde's ear and slapped him across the head.

- Eep! I'm awake! Naruto exclaimed as he sat straight up, looking around frantically.

He turned towards Sasuke and looked confused for a brief second.

- Uchiha? Oh.. S..Sorry.., he muttered sleepily.

- Whatever. Hurry up and take your things. Everyone else has already left..

- We're there already? Oh! Yay! Naruto exclaimed, a gleam in his eyes as he gathered his things with inhuman speed and hurried towards the exit, Sasuke trailing behind.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

- 'Already'.. Easy for you to say, he mumbled moodily, but no one heard him.

Fortunately nobody had realized that Sasuke and Naruto went missing for a minute or two (probably because Kakashi was too lazy to count the students) and also luckily for them, they caught up with their classmates right before they disappeared around the corner.

They had been dropped off at the busstation and were to walk the last few hundred meters to their destination.

They arrived at the school about 10 minutes later. Everyone was tired from the early bus ride, but nevertheless overjoyed to finally reach the place where they would be staying for the weekend. Just like the white-haired teacher had explained, there were three buildings. One big, white, rectangle-shaped building in the middle and two identically red bricked, smaller buildings next to the big one, opposite of each other. They were standing in the middle of a huge, empty yard, which was surrounded by a black fence and an unprotected gate.

Before the trip the students had been informed that the school was currently abandoned and had been so since two years back. Kakashi somehow knew the owner of the former boarding school, who had said that there had been too little students attending the school, so he had been forced to close it. He didn't know what to do with the buildings yet and therefore he had given permission for Kakashi and his students to use them during their stay in Hiroshima.

- Okay, it's time to pick numbers! Kakashi told them.

- Numbers? Naruto whispered confusedly to his raven-haired friend.

- You'll see, was all Sasuke said.

Naruto pouted, but kept quiet.

Kakashi walked around the eager students, who were all split into pairs of two, offering the basket with the little pieces of paper to everyone. When he walked up to Naruto and Sasuke, Sasuke reached out to pick a number. Kakashi didn't wait for the result, but instead went on to the next pair.

- Number three, Sasuke stated indifferently.

- What do you mean number three? Naruto asked impatiently.

The raven sighed.

- It's the number of our room, he informed his friend.

- Oh.. So, what are we waiting for?

- Obviously for everyone to pick a number.

- I believe everyone has gotten a room now! Kakashi declared.

Minami popped out from behind Kakashi. Much to her and Naruto's delight, she was the teacher who had been picked to look after the female students, while Kakashi made sure the boys behaved.

- Girls, come with me, she said and motioned towards the brick building on the east side.

The girls did as told and followed her inside, while Kakashi took the boys with him to the west building and unlocked the front door.

The inside of the boarding house looked quite cosy. It was fairly small, but well-cleaned. There was an entrance hall, followed by a narrow hallway. There were ten doors lined up against the wall, with clear numbers written on them. Sasuke spotted his and Naruto's door right away.

- Well, here we are boys. The keys are in the keyholes, waiting to be used. You can all go and get accustomed to your rooms and I'll be back when it's time to show you the main building, Kakashi said and exited the boarding house.

The boys raced towards their respective doors, including Naruto who found door number three, unlocked it and went inside. Sasuke followed him calmly and closed the door behind himself. He watched the blonde put down his luggage hastily and inspect the room eagerly for a while, before he bothered looking around a little as well. It was a rather simple room for two with a desk, two single beds, bedside tables, a small fridge, two oval closets and a big window covering one side of the wall. There was also a door, most probably leading to a bathroom.

After inspecting the room Naruto jumped onto the bed closer to the window.

- This bed is mine! he exclaimed possessively.

- Fine with me, Sasuke said with an uncaring shrug and sat down on the bed that had been left for him, placing his own luggage down next to it.

The blonde plopped down and snuggled up to his pillow with a sleepy yawn.

Sometime later Sasuke, who had absentmindedly been reading a thin guide book about places worth seeing in Hiroshima (out of boredom) and occasionally stealing a glance at his sleeping roommate, heard a knock coming from outside of the door. It was followed by Kakashi's muffled voice;

- I hope you're both settled in by now! It's time for lunch in the main building! We'll meet outside in a minute!

After that Sasuke had to really strain his ears to barely hear the retreating footsteps and then the teacher was gone.

"The rooms are almost soundproof huh", (Not sure if this makes any sense since Kakashi was speaking from the outside, but we'll say so) he thought as he put away the guide book and walked over to Naruto's bed. He couldn't help but stare a little dazedly when he saw up close how angelic the boy looked when he was asleep. He seemed so innocent and peaceful, as if he didn't have a care in the world, however Sasuke knew that wasn't the case. He had noticed the pain reflected in those blue eyes from time to time, but he could only wonder about it for the moment.

Suddenly Naruto stirred and rolled over to the other side, ending up with his back turned towards the raven-haired boy. Sasuke then noticed that he had been smiling while watching the blonde and for that reason he was very grateful that the said boy hadn't woken up. He forced himself to stop smiling and grabbed Naruto's shoulder, shaking the boy lightly.

- Uzumaki, wake up, he demanded.

Naruto's only reaction was to mumble something incoherent.

"Jeez, why must he be so hard to wake up?", Sasuke wondered irritably and shook him a little harder this time.

- Get up or you won't get any food! he warned.

Finally Naruto's eyes shot open.

- Food..? he questioned innocently, tilting his head with slanting, almost falling glasses cutely towards the raven, who still held onto his shoulder.

- Yes, food, lunch, whatever. We're supposed to be outside by now so..

- Oh, why didn't you say so! Naruto exclaimed cheerily and jumped up before Sasuke could say anything else.

- That's what I was trying to do, the raven mumbled defensively, while the blonde dragged him away from the room after grabbing the key and locking the door.

When they got outside they noted that everyone had been waiting for them. Luckily though, after a lot of loud excusing and apologizing from Naruto, Kiba assured his friend that there was no need to feel so bad, because they had only had to wait a minute or two. Kakashi just stood there, silently watching them. He couldn't really say anything since he was the adult who was always extremely late for his own lessons.

Eventually they all made their way to the main building. The girls were already there, waiting in the diner for them to come so they could start eating. Minami was in the middle of explaining something.

- ... So we won't be showing you around quite yet, since you're all probably pretty hungry right now, she finished with a smile.

Nobody seemed to disagree.

- That's right. Go over there and sit boys, Kakashi ordered, pointing towards the empty tables on the other side of the diner.

The male teenagers did as they were told and soon later they were allowed to eat the food served by the woman who had been hired by their own school to prevent the students from walking around hungry. As they were eating Kakashi stood up and hushed them.

- Okay girls and boys, I'm sure you're all very excited to be here and aren't we all? But please be quiet while I tell you where we'll be heading today and tomorrow. After showing you where to find different things in this building today we're going to visit Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum as well as have a glimpse of the Memorial Museum for the tragic atom bomb incident. After that I believe we all deserve a good night's rest. Tomorrow we'll be visiting a few shrines and such. You'll have to wait and see what else once we get there. All the locations have been picked out by you students with fair voting, in case anyone has forgotten about that and wish to complain. Any questions?

Everyone remained silent, so Kakashi shrugged and sat back down, returning to his food, as did the students.

As Kakashi had told them earlier, when they had finished eating they were shown around in the main building. It was quite big compared to the two boarding houses. Well, it had been a school not too long ago. The diner was modern and spacious, the hallways weren't narrow, there were several doors leading to former classrooms all over the place and at the end of a hallway two bathrooms were situated. One for boys, one for girls. The whole building seemed pretty.. untouched. One could tell it hadn't been used for other purposes than a little cleaning for some time.

Before leaving for Hiroshima Castle they were given 10 minutes each to use the bathroom, grab things they would need (like a camera.. Some people wouldn't care to bring anything but some cash though), possibly get changed and meet up outside.

- Oh Uchiha-teme, I see you aren't bringing anything with you either, huh? Naruto said, glancing at the other empty-handed boy as they made their way outside.

- Why would I dobe? came the neutral reply.

Naruto shrugged and grinned playfully.

- I don't know.. I just thought that maybe you're secretly striving to become a photographer and now you want to take lots and lots of pictures! This is your chance Uchiha, don't miss it! he joked cheerfully.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes, unwillingly feeling the corner of his lips twitch a little.

**Naruto's PoV:**

_**Half an hour later:**_

The Konoha students and teachers arrived at Hiroshima Castle in Naka-ku at last. They had had to walk from the train station and on the way there the fan girls had pushed Naruto away from Sasuke and clung to the dark-haired boy like flies to leftovers. (Lovely comparison? Uh yeah, let's say so). Naruto had been slightly irritated, but decided it was best not to start an argument and bring his own mood down. Instead of saving Sasuke he caught up with his other friends and they chatted all the way to the castle. The blonde felt a little bad leaving his too-good-looking-for-his-own-good friend with the fan girls, but hey what could he do? The girls were extremely stubborn and he was not about to go against their will on a good day such as that. He decided to enjoy himself, with or without Sasuke by his side.

They finally reached the top of the stairs and doing so they could take in the sight in front of them.

- Wow, it's huge! Kiba exclaimed in awe, staring up at the castle.

It was indeed an impressive sight. In the middle of wintry trees and other frozen greenery stood a tall, Japanese styled building made of reinforced concrete and wood. It was like a well-shaped mountain of beauty.

- Yeah.., Naruto replied dazedly.

He was out of breath after running all the way up and when he had first laid eyes on the castle all he could do was gasp.

- Well, that's beautiful isn't it? Minami chirped, breaking the students out of their stupor.

Everyone seemed to agree with her. Naruto, on the other hand, just realized that he hadn't talked to Minami since before she and Satoshi left for Kyoto a few weeks ago. He hadn't thought of that earlier. Though now was not the time to think of that, they were there to see Hiroshima Castle and while he had been daydreaming he noticed that the others had already started making their way inside of the castle. He shrugged and caught up with them soon later.

For the next two hours they were shown around in several places of the castle, including the Gokoku shinto shrine, which had been rebuilt inside of Hiroshima castle after the atomic bombing. They were told that it used to be situated where Hiroshima Municipal Stadium now stands. Naruto found himself listening intently to what the guide told them, which he was usually too lazy to do, but that time it was surprisingly interesting to hear about all the details. Every once in a while he would steal a glance at Sasuke and he would've sworn that he could see fascination reflected, if very discreetly, in his eyes as well. In the back of the his mind the blonde had to wonder why he would be feeling more captivated by Sasuke's eyes than the interesting story behind the castle. Thoughts like 'This can't be normal..' crossed his mind, but he quickly pushed them and any thoughts involving the raven aside, once again focusing on the guide's speech.

- Come, let's go further inside. Now look around and you'll see a lot of abstract-looking paintings. The story behind this room is actually sort of funny. You see, in the late 19th century people..., the guide said, then continued talking and explaining, until eventually even Naruto became bored. He found himself spacing out quite a lot, occasionally staring subconsciously at a certain raven-haired boy across from him. He had to pinch his own arm countless of times to get a hold of himself and he was relieved when they finally left the beautiful castle.

Their next destination within Naka-ku, Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, was a more modern building. It was uniquely shaped and, to put it simply, looked stylish, both on the inside as well as outside.

The students with Kakashi and Minami were allowed to freely walk around inside of the museum for a little while as they waited for the guide to show up. The curious students were overjoyed and rushed around like chickens, not forgetting to check any corner. Naruto was one of the curious students, just like most of his friends. Sasuke was still reluctantly being dragged around by Sakura and Ino. As the two boys passed each other and Sasuke's pitch black eyes met Naruto's blue ones, Naruto flashed him an apologetic grin for ditching him with the fan girls. Sasuke let out a silent grunt and rolled his eyes in exasperation. The blonde couldn't blame him because the girls were extremely strong physically and used to getting what they wanted, in this case Sasuke. In other words, they were dangerous and spoiled. Not a good combination.

Eventually the guide showed himself, apologizing frantically for being late and beginning to explain how much trouble he had gone through to get to the museum, but Kakashi stopped him in time and assured the young man that everything was under control. The white-haired teacher didn't have much patience with speedy blabbering. Then he ordered the students, using his scary tone, to stop running about and behave like the 15-, 16-year-olds they were supposed to be.

The tour around the museum passed without complications, at least for most people. The young guide, who had pulled himself together properly, kept explaining as he showed them paintings, sculptures and photographs. Some of them were pretty, some were strange, others were questionable. Naruto soon discovered that he wasn't very interested in art, so instead of listening he started wondering about the most random things, like what he had left in the fridge at home, which soon turned into why he couldn't get the young Uchiha out of his head. He really couldn't. It was freaking him out a little and wondering about it felt as if it only made him seem all the more obsessed. Luckily he wasn't quite dumb enough to actually tell anyone about it though. He would've been the laughing stock of the year if his friends were to find out about the awkward feelings he was experiencing.

"Feelings?", Naruto pondered.

"What feelings? We're friends, that's all we are and all I want us to be.. right? I'm not gay. I.. definitely am not gay! And Uchiha isn't interested in these kinds of things.. Get over it, get over it, get over it!".

The blonde was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't take note of the girl standing directly behind him, before he accidentally knocked his elbow against her. She let out a silent whimper, quiet enough for Naruto to believe that he was the only one who must have heard it. He whipped his head around hastily, coming face to face with Hinata Hyuga once again. As the guide kept talking Naruto regarded Hinata, who had taken a few steps back, guiltily. She was clutching her right shoulder with a slight look of pain etched on her features. Naruto approached her and felt as guilty as he looked.

- Gomen Hyuga-chan! I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to! I just didn't see you there.. Are you okay? he whispered worriedly, grabbing her left shoulder lightly to turn her towards him.

- U..U...Uzumaki-kun..! H..Hai! I.. I'm fine! D..Don't worry, she stuttered with a deep red blush on her face as she tried to smile in her usual shy manner.

- Oh, that's great! I wouldn't want you to get hurt! the boy exclaimed a little too loudly in the fragile girl's face, making her flinch and her blush deepen.

Hinata didn't get a chance to reply when she spotted the guide staring irritably in their direction, keeping his mouth shut in a firm line. The other students were also looking at them, some in curiosity, others in annoyance. The dark-haired girl was embarrassed beyond words to find so many eyes on her. She stopped clutching her shoulder, then tried desperately to cover up her face with her fringe and stare intently at the floor as she felt her face burn. Naruto let go of Hinata's shoulder as he turned around slowly and stared back dumbly at the other students for a moment, before realization finally dawned upon him and he brought out one of his sheepish grins.

- Ah.. Umm.. Sorry about that. Go on please! he blurted while scratching his neck, grin never leaving his face.

The guide cleared his throat, irritation shown clearly with the twitching of the eyebrow. Minami looked slightly ashamed of her nephew for interrupting him and Kakashi was just leaning against a wall, calmly observing the blonde boy with his only visible eye.

- As I was saying, this picture was taken during the..., the guide continued.

Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief for not getting scolded. He had really hated those boring lectures he'd used to get when he had been a little prankster and that was partly why he had stopped acting like such a brat, but of course even he had begun to sincerely mature to some extent just like everyone else did.

When he felt assured that everyone had stopped paying attention to him, the blonde turned back towards Hinata and smiled sweetly, forming the word 'gomen' with his lips.

The girl flushed once again and nodded with a shy, innocent smile. Then they both returned their attention to the guide's speech, just to be on the safe side.

"Hyuga-chan is so innocent and sweet. I wouldn't mind having her as my girlfriend.. But, I don't think she feels that way towards me.. And on other thoughts, I don't think I do either. She's just a friend.. Just like Uchi.. What! I'm back to thinking about him again! Jeez! Give me a break!".

After calming down he rolled his eyes at his own stupid thoughts and hoped nobody noticed him acting extra weird. Soon later he found himself blissfully distracted by Kiba, who had grown bored and therefore retreated to the back where he was standing, babbling on about pointless things in a low tone and occasionally listening to the blonde's somewhat distant replies. Apparently the dog-obsessed boy didn't suspect anything strange about his friend whatsoever. Naruto was extremely grateful for that, since he wasn't a very good liar.

When the group made their way out of the museum Naruto was tempted to go snatch Sasuke away from Sakura and Ino's grip just to save the poor guy, however he quickly pushed that idea aside when he thought about the annoying consequences and instead of helping Sasuke out he kept wandering alongside his other friends. Once they came outside he couldn't help but shiver. It had really started to become cold. There was no longer any snow on the ground, but the winds weren't very pleasant.

"Great. And I only brought my thinnest jacket with me", Naruto thought regrettably.

It was around seven o'clock in the evening and they still had one more place to visit for the day after dinner. The Memorial Museum was known to _not _be a pretty sight, but they were all ready for that, seeing as they had been warned about it on several occasions. Despite things most of them were really curious to see what the inside of it really was like. The museum was usually open for guiding in the evenings to 'create the right mood'. Everyone shared an unspoken agreement that they would definitely not be jumping around carelessly in such a place, which was dedicated to mourn the dark memories in Japan's history.

They ended up eating at a simple, yet spacious and clean restaurant close to the Memorial Museum. The restaurant staff seemed to be used to seeing such a big group entering their restaurant, which was probably because of the location. They calmly took the orders of everyone and about an hour later everyone started digging in. Naruto had been overjoyed to find ramen on the menu.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

As the students and teachers left the restaurant to head for their last sightseeing object of the day Sasuke groaned inwardly. The day had been very long to him. He didn't really mind sightseeing, but the fact that he had the girls clinging to him the whole time made things considerably worse. However, what bothered him more than that was that his blonde crush seemed to be somewhat avoiding him.. again. Well a part of him knew that wasn't really the case, because what he was actually avoiding was the fan girls, but the raven had a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. He wondered if it was really just the girls' fault that he couldn't get close to his friend. His only comfort was that he could tell Naruto hadn't completely abandoned him in his mind. It was made obvious with how the blonde kept glancing at him every now and then. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk as he once again spotted a pair of glasses-covered, blue eyes directed towards him, before they quickly disappeared out of his sight. Sasuke knew that Naruto didn't want him to realize that he pitied him, so he made sure to always act as if he didn't notice it when Naruto turned his attention towards him. The truth was that as long as it was about something as minor as having the fan girls cling to him he did not mind the blonde's pity at all, because it proved how much Naruto truly cared about him.

Sasuke was brought out of his blissful contemplating when Sakura, the pink-haired annoyance, tugged at his arm a little too roughly. He flinched out of disgust and wondered what gave her the right to act as if he was her possession, but as usual his lack of response and will to cause an unecessesary scene kept him in place, walking reluctantly alongside his herd of fan girls. At least he knew that when Sakura and Ino were around they were the only ones 'allowed to touch him', not that he had given them permission or ever would. They just did as they pleased.

- Look Sasuke-kun, that's the museum! Isn't this exciting? the student council president of Konoha High exclaimed in a high-pitched tone.

- Hn, was Sasuke's reply.

Sakura's lips looked like they were about to break into a pout, but she obviously changed her mind when she realized that she shouldn't lose face with her beloved god. So, instead of pouting she forced a bright smile.

Sasuke rolled his eyes quite visibly and kept walking purposely a little faster than the majority of the fan girls could muster. Of course that didn't mean Sakura let go of his arm in the least, in fact it only caused her to tighten her hold on him.

They soon approached the Memorial Museum which the pink-haired girl had pointed at. Sasuke looked up from the ground and regarded his surroundings indifferently. There was a watercourse, (AN: Hmm.. might sound weird, but jeez I'm sorry okay! I don't know how to explain this, I'm just too empty in the head so forgive me! x_X) which had started to freeze, on his right side. The two buildings were situated on the other side. These were enormous no matter how one looked at them. Round pillars were holding them up, giving the simple designs a slightly royal touch.

The inside of the east building consisted of a big hall with entrances leading to different rooms with different themes. The Konoha villagers soon found themselves being guided around for the third time that day. The guide described the museum as a whole to be a 'cruel wake up call', which at first nobody but Kakashi quite seemed to understand. The students knew that the contents of the rooms weren't going to be pleasant however, they still had to ask themselves 'is it really that horrible?'. The answer didn't come to them fast though. They followed the guide around in the east building, which was practically harmless. It described Hiroshima before and after the bombing on the first floor, restoration of the city on the second and on the third floor the present situation of world nuclear weapons and peace involvement of the city was exhibited. Once they entered the west building the guiding took a turn for the worse: They were greeted by unpleasant sights, such as articles left by the victims or pictures of the terrible destruction.

Even Sasuke had to admit that seeing it up close made it all a lot worse than just knowing what had happened, especially when he listened to the guide's explanations. He glanced at his blonde crush and saw to his surprise that Naruto looked extremely solemn and his eyes held a hint of sadness. It was one of the few emotions in the boy that he couldn't grasp. It was an emotion which was constantly hidden beneath the cheerful surface and thick glasses. It was also the emotion he wished so dearly to understand.

When they exited the Memorial Museum their facial expressions resembled one another. None of them were in a mood to talk much. Kakashi walked next to Minami and the students followed them silently. The fan girls had finally become sick of clinging to the reluctant Uchiha and had temporarily retreated to the back of the group, sticking among themselves. This allowed Sasuke to approach Naruto without getting him involved with the girls and their silly rage. He walked up discreetly to the unusually quiet blonde. Naruto paid him a glance and then he faced the ground with the same sad eyes. Sasuke watched him worriedly, before deciding to allow the boy privacy to wallow in his thoughts. They said nothing on the way back.

Upon reaching the dorm room Sasuke was disheartened to be the first one to enter, since under normal circumstances the blonde would rush inside before he could even blink, which was very unlike how he was acting then. Naruto merely followed Sasuke inside like a lost puppy. Quite honestly, it made the raven feel uncomfortable, but he just didn't dare break the silence. The glasses boy looked so fragile and depressed that the Uchiha was afraid he would break apart from the slightest comment. All he knew was that something about that visit to the Memorial Museum had brought up something painful in the blonde's heart and cliche' as it sounded, he wanted to comfort him.. hug him and tell him that everything would be alright.

- Umm.. Uchiha, I'm tired so I'm going to sleep okay? Naruto spoke up in an almost inaudible tone, facing the floor between them.

- Oh.. Okay then.. It's pretty late so I see no reason to stay up either, Sasuke replied slowly.

- Un, Naruto nearly whispered, took off his glasses and placed them on the table next to his bed.

Sasuke turned around to get ready for bed himself, but at the same time he worriedly glanced over his shoulder at the blonde, who was too preoccupied with his thoughts to take note of anything. The raven was still pondering whether he should ask the other boy any questions or wait until morning. When Naruto started to absentmindedly pull his shirt off Sasuke thought it would be best to stop staring and go to bed. He didn't want to seem weird, not that the blonde hadn't managed to appear that way himself though.

Sasuke had a heard time trying to fall asleep in the unfamiliar bed. He kept staring at the ceiling for probably an hour or so he thought. Right before he finally was about to drift off to the world of dreams he heard a discreet whimper coming from the other occupant of the room. It was followed by a suffocated sobbing sound, which ended as soon as it had started. It only lasted a few seconds and then it was gone, as if never having been there. It pained the Uchiha to think of his friend's suffering and it was even worse that Naruto hadn't trusted him much enough to tell him what was the cause of his sorrow. Sasuke could only assume it had a lot to do with the blonde's never-present parents. But he had also figured out long ago that Naruto really wasn't the type who tended to talk about himself and his past, unless asked and even then he felt reluctant doing so. Sasuke could remember the one time he had asked an innocent question such as where Naruto had grown up. Naruto had responded by saying that he was from Kyoto, though the response had been suspiciously hasty and he hadn't added any details whatsoever. The Uchiha was now well aware that if he wanted to get the blonde to talk he would have to ask him about it and then hopefully he would get answers.

The last thing on Sasuke's mind before he fell asleep was how much he wanted to make his special person feel better and wipe his tears. With a lot of luck he would possibly someday be given the privilege of having his feelings returned, although he didn't expect anything. After all, they were just friends.

* * *

**-Scratches head sheepishly- (like Naru-chan tends to do)**

**So.. How are you all? Eheheh... (nervous laugh)**

**Ok ok, I know I haven't updated in f*cking forever (almost 2 months) and feel free to be mad at me for that! Just don't hate me onegai! x_X **

**You see, I've been quite busy with school and stuff like that (school started extra early for me, yay..). Right now I'm in some sort of writer's block, which should be quite evident in this chappie. -Sigh- It means that I'm able to write (somewhat) but I just never feel satisfied and I have to edit like a billion times before I can accept it. Well, it's mostly just when I write this ficcie though. I just keep doubting myself recently to be able to write this one and it really affects my writing. I feel frustrated cause it never turns out as I want it to and I feel hideously uncreative (wait.. is that even a word? Err I dunno, sorry if it isn't).. But I'm somehow able to write other stories when I feel that this one just isn't going anywhere. Of course I won't drop the story, no never! I won't give up that easily.. I'm just undergoing a bit of a struggle with my writing atm, so I hope you people will understand and stay patient :) **

**So yeah, I'm truly sorry for being such a 'slowpoke' but I can't really help it, just gotta wait for the creativity and confidence to come back to me. In the mean time I might be updating the fanfic in an ever slower pace. I will be working on it though, I promise. **

**The positive thing is that this is the longest chappie so far, yay! ^.^**

**Now, onto some info about this chappie...**

**Yes, the name of the boarding school is Kazekage, which could literally be translated into 'Wind Shadow'. It's obviously taken from the title given to the leader of Sunahagakure in the Naruto universe (Gaara! :3) and if you wonder why I picked that name in particular I can only explain it as 'I couldn't come up with a name on my own' and 'It seemed like a fun thing to do' x_X**

**Hmm.. I must say my (boring) life is full of coincidences. I had only recently decided to write about Hiroshima when we started discussing second world war, including how it ended with the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, in history class. (Though we were a lot more focused on Europe since we're Europeans). It was weird cause I didn't have a clue about what we would be talking about in class and it just ironically happened to be this topic.**

**The info about the insides of Hiroshima Memorial Museum is from a cool website that I found while searching through Google. Not all of that info is very.. pleasant though. Some parts of it put me in a terrible mood and some of the pictures were quite creepy, but I hated the text more than seeing the remains of a schoolboy's fingernails.. It was depressing to read about the contents of the west building, though it was also very helpful!**

**Some of you might be wondering why the students would pick these kinds of places to visit instead of.. I dunno, a karaoke place? and the answer to that is simple. They were told to pick _informative_ places that would actually be of some interest. The point of the trip is to give the students some time off to clear their minds and stuff like that, but they should also get something useful out of it. So now you know.**

**Uhh.. I feel that some of the things I write make no sense. Is it just me? Feel free to tell me if there is something I should change. I just try my best to to write so that people understand what the heck is going on and _hopefully_ I'm doing okay...**

**What else? Umm... Oh yeah! Minami and Naruto don't talk to each other in this chappie and the reason for that is that Minami is busy looking after the girls and there just simply hasn't been a good time for them to involve in a friendly conversation yet, but there will probably be in the next chappie though. They don't exactly make light of their relationship since then the other students could think that Minami is going to be playing favorites with the blondie, but we all know that's not it! She loves him ofc, but she wouldn't put him ahead of the other students, cause she's a good teacher. So basically, them being auntie and nephew doesn't have to be a secret, but they don't walk around telling everyone openly about it either.**

**So things are becoming a little bit dramatic I guess o.0 But that's okay cause it's supposed to be that way -smirks evilly-**

**As usual, I have no clue how the next chappie will go as of yet, but I do (surprisingly) have a few events partly planned out for the future :D **

**Anyway**** R&R and I'll give you some cookies or something, deal? **

**Ja ne! :)**


	10. Missing Whirlpool of Light

_**Chapter 10: 'Missing Whirlpool of Light'**_

**Naruto's PoV:**

On the Konoha villagers' second day in Hiroshima the sun shone brightly, despite the slightly cold weather, and allowed them a good view of the cloudless sky. They were currently walking around in the Itsukushima shrine of Miyajima isle. The shrine was fairly famous for its beauty and without a doubt, it was one of the most striking sights the students had seen in their lives.

"Huh.. That's weird.. I wonder why the fan girls haven't bothered him yet?", Naruto pondered as he stole a glance at one certain, pink-haired girl who was walking behind him and Sasuke. The girl was, to his great relief as well as puzzlement, involving in a friendly conversation about the shrine with her blonde friend Ino. They didn't seem to be the least bit concerned about the raven-haired Uchiha at the moment. Naruto shrugged and turned his attention back to the other boy, only to find out that he was being spoken to. Really, that boy had become a lot more talkative as of late.

- ... Wouldn't that make things a lot easier for everyone Uzumaki? the raven questioned with a seemingly irritated undertone, not making sure if the blonde was paying attention or not.

- ..What did you say Uchiha-teme? I didn't catch that, Naruto replied cheerily, apparently not caring that he was being a bit of a pain.

Sasuke shot him a brief look of surprise, laced with irritation.

- Why are you spacing out, dobe? And I asked if it wouldn't be easier on everyone if you decided to come on _time _once in a while? Even Kakashi-sensei showed up before us and they almost left before we came! he complained without raising his voice high enough to draw attention. (A/N: -Hint- Fan girls -Hint-)

- Calm down, teme. I told you that you didn't need to wait for me, didn't I? Naruto chuckled.

- Yeah, but it wouldn't look too good if I showed up without the dobe, Sasuke mumbled grumpily.

"He sure is moody today..", Naruto noted. Out loud he simply said:

- Why?

- Because.. We're roommates, which sadly means that we're supposed to 'look after each other', as Kakashi-sensei explained before we left for Hiroshima. It wouldn't do to leave you behind instead of making sure you hurry the hell up, especially since you're a slow dobe..

- For your information, I can take care of myself Uchiha! I would've caught up with the rest of you even if you'd left before and stopped pestering me! the blonde exclaimed, offended by the raven's distrust.

Sasuke snorted at that, but smiled to show that he was no longer upset with the boy. Naruto pouted before he reluctantly returned the smile. After his outburst, none of them said anything for a while.

They all visited a few more shrines, before Kakashi announced that it was time to go back to Kazekage (the school). Sakura and her gang still hadn't made any indication of being interested in the Uchiha whatsoever, even as they reached the school. Naruto could do nothing to stop the slight foreboding feeling creeping up at the back of his mind. Even if he wasn't the sharpest tool one could find in the shred, he was quite decent at reading people and sensing oncoming situations. Of course, he had no clue what the girls' sudden change in attitude meant, though he feared that something very bad was about to happen in a near future. But since it was just a feeling, he pretended that nothing was wrong.

- Aww man, my feet hurt like hell! the blonde whined loudly as he threw himself on his temporary bed.

- Don't be so whiny Usurantonkachi, Sasuke ordered with his usual roll of the eyes.

- But se- mmmmmmmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmmm! Naruto blurted through his pillow.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched at the blonde's attempt to make sense, but he didn't ask for him to repeat himself. It was probably nothing of importance anyway.

Naruto looked up after a little while and what he saw surprised him. His raven-haired friend was lying peacefully in bed, not snoring but his lips were slightly parted and, to him, he seemed like a completely innocent child. The blonde didn't even notice that the raven looked slightly sensual. He just gazed contently at his roommate, feeling a smile tug at his own lips. He had secretly taken note of the fact that Sasuke hadn't actually slept much at all since they left Konoha. It was apparent with the dark rings under the boy's eyes and the way he acted. For that reason, Naruto decided to let the Uchiha gain some rest. He stood up and quietly made his way outside of the room for a trip to the bathroom.

After finishing his business, he was about to return to his room, when he heard footsteps nearing from behind. He turned around to see a brown-haired girl with green eyes standing there, smirking at him.

- Uhh.. Can I help you? he asked dumbly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"What's she doing in the guys' dorm?", he wondered in suspicion.

- Ne.. You're Uzumaki right? the girl questioned back.

- Yes?

- Alright, that's all I wanted to know. Girls! He's over here!

Naruto gulped involuntarily as three more girls appeared from behind the first girl, all wearing the same worrying expression. His fear grew considerably bigger as they walked up to him determinedly and grabbed his arms with huge force.

- W..What do you want? he demanded to know as he tried to pry them off.

- Don't worry your little head Megane-kun. We'll be bringing you somewhere safe, the girl with the brown hair mocked, smirking wickedly.

She nodded at the other girls, which they took as a signal to start dragging the unwilling blonde away.

- What! This is kidnapping! Let GO of m-! he screamed, but was cut off by a hand belonging to one of the girls.

- This is going to be much easier on all of us if you'll be a nice little boy and keep your mouth shut, the girl, who had spiky black hair, advised.

Naruto responded by glaring at her and biting down on her hand. He regretted it though, as another hand darted across his cheek, leaving it red and swollen. He stared at the attacker in shock as he rubbed his sore cheek. She was a tall, scary looking one with dirty blonde hair and blood red eyes.

- You should learn to behave, or it might cost you a lot, she warned, voice laced with hatred.

The boy didn't dare resist after that. He just unhappily followed the kidnappers, watching them as they led him out of the boys' dorm and into the main building. He was surprised to see that it was completely empty, although most part of his mind was focused on wondering where they were taking him. The fourth girl, another brunette with auburn eyes, had taken on the task of covering the victim's mouth. They walked through the diner and into the kitchen, where they stopped. The brunette removed her hand from the blonde's mouth. He watched silently as the black-haired girl pushed the only rug in the room aside, revealing some sort of hatchway on the floor. His eyes widened in terror as the girl started opening the hatch and the realization hit him. They were going to let him rot in a place such as that, for a reason he didn't know.

- Why..? Why are you doing this? he managed to choke out as he held back the tears.

- Should we tell him? the black-haired one asked the girl with the green eyes, who appeared to be the leader.

The addressed girl walked up to Naruto, a gleam in her eyes and a mischievous smirk covering her features.

- Sure I'll tell you, why not?

Naruto glared expectantly at her.

- Let's just say that someone has become a little too close to a certain Sasuke Uchiha as of late.. And the leader doesn't like that.

So he had been wrong, the leader was someone else.

- That's ridiculous! What does it matter to you people anyway?

- Well.. If we can't have Sasuke-sama then no one else should be able to get close to him either. He's like an untouchable Kami-sama to us and a lowly glasses nerd like you has been dirtying his hands too much for our liking.

- That's it..? the blonde boy questioned in outrage.

- Yes, but this whole kidnapping thing wasn't our idea, in case you wanted to know. We're just taking orders.

- From who?

- Can't tell you that. Anyway girls, let's get him down before the food lady comes back! the brunette cheered.

The tall girl tied a cloth over the boy's mouth and the others began to drag him down the ladder in the hatchway. He had no other choice than to comply. Once they got down to the bottom, Naruto looked around anxiously. The space was cramped, yet empty. It was cold and dark. He shivered and returned his attention towards the kidnappers, who were in the process of climbing back up.

- You'll be just fine, Megane-kun. There might be some rats for you to eat if you get really hungry.. Oh oops, I forgot that you can't even open your mouth. But we're no murderers, so we'll be back once things are settled, the 'leader' of the group stated scornfully.

- And another thing: Do NOT even THINK of telling anyone about this when we let you out. If you do, we can assure you that next time we won't be even close to this kind, the other brunette strictly ordered.

Naruto gulped and nodded indignantly. He looked up to see the last bit of light disappearing as the girls shut the hatch. Then everything became black. The blonde slid down into a sitting position, leaning against a cold surface. He bent his head against his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs. He couldn't help the tears from falling anymore. His whole frame shook violently as the salty liquid poured down his scarred cheeks. Letting the tears flow, all he could think was "I wish Sasuke was here..."

**Sasuke's PoV:**

**(And a little bit of Minami Perspective)**

Sasuke woke to a rather empty room, feeling that something was missing. He sat up abruptly, wondering where the dobe was.

"I'm sure he was here when I fell asleep.. Maybe the bathroom?"

He turned his head to the side to check the time. It was 16.11, which meant that food would be served in just a little longer than an hour.

"Better go check then.. I hope the idiot didn't run off somewhere.."

He knocked on the bathroom door, but got no answer. He opened the door to the tiny room and inspected it briefly. There was no sign of a blonde. The room was so small it couldn't even fit a sink. He knew though, that there was a bigger and better bathroom outside of their dorm room. Knowing the dobe, he would most probably have gone there.

Sasuke exited the dorm room and started heading for the other bathroom. On the way there he nearly bumped into Neji, a quiet guy with long hair. Neji nodded as an apology and started making his way back to his own room, before Sasuke called out to him:

- Wait! You.. Hyuga right? Have you seen the do.. I mean, have you seen Uzumaki?

Neji turned around and gave the raven an odd look.

- Aren't you his roommate? he inquired suspiciously.

- Yes, but when I woke up he was gone. I just thought that you might have seen him is all.

- I haven't. Although I didn't see anyone there, you could check the bathroom if you didn't do that already, Neji said before walking off.

- Thanks, Sasuke mumbled and continued on his way to the said place.

As the long-haired boy had implied, there was no sign of the blonde in that bathroom either. Sasuke frowned in irritation.

"Don't tell me he's gotten into trouble again..", he thought, shutting his eyes as he rubbed his temples.

He checked his and Naruto's room one more time just to make sure the idiot wouldn't pop out of nowhere, asking where _he _had been. It was to no avail though. Sighing, he decided to search their lazy, white-haired teacher up. Apparently luck hadn't completely abandoned him, seeing as he ran into Kakashi just as he exited the dorm room for the second time. The man didn't take note of him at first though, he kept walking back and forward in the corridors, reading that perverted book. Sasuke paid no heed though. He walked up to the teacher determinedly.

- Kakashi-sensei.

At last, he got a reaction, _if_ one could call a raised eyebrow a real reaction.

- Have you seen Uzumaki? Sasuke asked impatiently.

This time Kakashi finally teared his attention away from the book and faced his student properly.

- Should I have, Uchiha-kun? he questioned back, bored tone in place as always.

- I don't know, but I can't seem to find him.. I'm afraid he might have gotten himself into trouble.. again..

- Sou desu ka? (=is that so) That could indeed be a problem. Well, let's go see if Tachibana-san has seen a glimpse of him then.

Secretly, Sasuke wondered why Kakashi was always referred to as just 'Kakashi-sensei' and not 'Hatake-sensei', however, as he thought about it, he soon realized that it must have been because people just couldn't quite bring themselves to respect someone who never seemed to care much about anything and who was always late. And besides, the man didn't seem to mind it in the least. Neither did Iruka want to be called 'Umino-sensei'. Sasuke recalled a time when a girl had said Iruka's last name in class and the teacher had practically exploded. He was a friendly type of teacher, he wanted the students to see him as a friend, not a superior. Nobody had called him 'Umino-sensei' again, ever since the 'incident'. Both he and Kakashi were unique in their own ways. Deep down, Sasuke could tell that Kakashi also cared a lot more than he let people believe.

They walked over to the east building in silence. The Uchiha looked at the plank, which read 'girls' absentmindedly, while Kakashi fumbled with the keys to the front door lock. Once they got inside, Sasuke hid instinctively behind the teacher. (It's a dorm for girls.., you do the math)

- I don't know which room is Tachibana-san's, but she's not one to stay inside for long. Let's just wait, shall we?

Sasuke nodded in response.

The two of them waited, Kakashi reading his book and Sasuke just leaning against the wall, for about ten minutes. Then finally, the door to one of the dorm rooms opened and to the raven's big relief, out came none other than the person they were looking for. She looked at them, surprise evident.

- Hatake-san.. Can I help you with something? she inquired.

- Hai. We're looking for a student. Uchiha-kun here is his roommate and he says that he can't find him. We were just wondering whether you have seen him.. His name is Naruto Uzumaki, blond hair, glasses..

Minami stared at them in shock. Her eyes went from looking friendly to extremely worried. Sasuke couldn't help but frown. The woman seemed to be taking the news awfully bad, almost as if she was personally connected to Naruto in some way.

- R.. Really? W.. When was the last time you saw him? she asked with an unsteady voice as she directed her attention towards Sasuke.

- Um.. About two hours ago. I fell asleep and when I woke up he was gone.., the raven explained as he looked down to hide the sudden guilt that had boiled up within him upon seeing the woman's concern.

- And none of the other students have seen him either? Minami continued questioning as she tried to keep her voice as steady as possible.

- Well.. We're not sure. We wanted to ask you first of all, Kakashi replied.

- I see.. I'll ask the girls then. Will you ask the boys if they have seen him, please? Minami nearly pleaded.

Kakashi and Sasuke flinched at the desperate tone she was using.

- Of course we will, Kakashi assured her with a smile.

Minami smiled back weakly, before turning around and heading for the dorm room door next to hers. The other two made their way back to the west building. None of them commented on Minami's strange behavior, although it was all they could think of except, of course, the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was presumably missing.

Even though he would never admit it, Sasuke was worried to death about his blonde friend. He and Kakashi had checked all the other male dorm rooms for any hint of the boy's whereabouts. Not one single soul had seen him since they visited the shrines earlier. The only place left was the main building and somehow, Sasuke had a strong feeling that they wouldn't find the glasses boy there either. Nonetheless, they would try. The Uchiha was not about to give up anytime soon. They had also managed to gather some volunteers to search for Naruto. If that was any help they didn't know, though it was nice to know there were so many people who cared.

- It's hopeless! He's not here either! Mou, where _did _that idiot run off to? Kiba exclaimed in frustration as he exited the kitchen with Shino trailing behind.

Even with the impatience the boy was showing, everyone could tell by his facial expression that he was more worried than upset and the same went for all of them. Minami appeared to be the most shaken, judging by how she was biting her nails and seemingly holding back a nervous breakdown. Strangely though, Sasuke and Kakashi were two of the few who had noticed the way she was acting. They all worried, but showed it in various ways. Sasuke noted one of his classmates walking up to Minami and decided to eavesdrop.

- Tachibana-sensei?

The woman looked up from where she was sitting to give half of her attention to the one who had called out to her, coming face to face with the pale boy Sai. She tried her best to smile at him and act normal, but of course he could still see the intense sadness and panicked worry in her eyes.

- What is it.. Sai-kun?

She felt hesitant to say his name, since the boy didn't have a surname.. or so he claimed.

- I was just wondering what you're intending to do.. I mean, should we contact the police?

Minami froze, the smile slipping from her face completely. She was angry with herself. She had been too immersed in her thoughts to even think of what needed to be done in these kinds of situations.

- Thank you, Sai-kun. I think you may be right. I'll go contact Hatake-san right away.

She smiled unconvincingly one last time at the student, before standing up and wandering off towards the corridors. She soon spotted the white-haired man leaning helplessly against a wall. The woman wondered briefly, if anyone had ever seen him act so.. out of hope. She doubted it, since he always seemed to have either a bored or a stoic mask on, figuratively as well as literally.

- Hatake-san? Should we contact the police? she asked as she approached the man.

He turned to face her with a start and admittedly, it was the first time Minami had ever seen him being woken from his thoughts, real thoughts and not just perverted ones about the book he always appeared to carry around, except now.

- Well.. I believe we should wait a day or so first. The police will most likely not show up yet if we tell them that the boy has only been missing for half a day, Kakashi replied, smiling although it was obviously fake.

Minami nodded hesitantly and started to walk away, but stopped in her tracks as the other teacher called out to her.

- Do you have a moment, Tachibana-san?

She turned towards him again, carefully observing the look on his face. He was serious, she could tell. His eyes told her that he wasn't joking around in the least, for once.

- Okay.. Why not?

She went to stand next to him, also leaning against the wall. Both of them had their eyes focused straight ahead, not facing each other.

- What did you want to discuss, Hatake-san? Minami inquired.

- I don't know if it's just my imagination, or is there something you are hiding? Kakashi questioned bluntly, suspicion evident.

Minami had somewhat expected the question to be asked sooner or later. She directed her gaze towards him briefly without veering her head fully, before she sighed in defeat and closed her eyes.

- It's nothing of importance for the students to know about, though I suppose I should tell you.. I'm guessing you're aware that I and Na.. Uzumaki-kun came to Konoha High around the same time?

Kakashi nodded, urging her to continue.

- So far I've only told the principal about it. You see, we're related. To be more exact, Naruto-kun is my nephew. That's why I seem more worried than a mere teacher should be, she explained, not bothering to call Naruto by last name anymore.

- I see.., Kakashi said in response, not quite surprised.

Minami figured that he had suspected her and the missing boy to have some sort of connection.

- I'm sorry that we can't do much, for now, to find your nephew, he stated sympathetically.

The woman smiled sadly.

- So am I.., she mumbled.

They stood there in silence, both pondering the disappearance of Naruto, until Kakashi pushed himself out of his leaning position and turned towards the depressed Minami.

- Don't worry Tachibana-san. We'll do everything we can to find him.. For now, I think it's time we all get something to eat, he said in an attempt to comfort her.

She watched him gesturing towards the diner. Shrugging lifelessly, she followed the man without a word.

The young Uchiha had given up listening in on Minami's conversation after she had left to search Kakashi up. He was aware that, if he wanted to know when they were going to involve the police, he would just have to ask and he realized that it was still too early to drag the police into the mess, as much as it saddened him.

- Ano.. Sasuke-kun, can I have a word with you? someone asked from behind him.

Turning around, he regarded the pink-haired girl with disinterest and slight annoyance. If there was any time in particular he really did not want anything to do with her, it was definitely now. Though, judging by the serious expression on her face, there was a possibility that she knew something about Naruto. Thinking this, he nodded grimly.

- You should get something to eat too. Let's go take a seat inside the diner, okay? Sakura suggested carefully.

Sasuke took note of the complete change in the girl's attitude. She would normally throw herself at him, but right now she was acting very reserved. It was nice for a change, although quite unnerving.

Placing down their trays in unison, they seated themselves at one of the tables in the somewhat crowded diner. Sasuke knew he could in no way actually eat anything under such stress that he was experiencing, though it was easier not to argue and at least make it look as if he had the intention to ease his non-existent hunger.

- So, what did you want to tell me? he asked, trying not to let his impatience show.

- It's terrible.. I.. I was unsure who to tell and how, but.. I know why Me.. Uzumaki is missing. No, he's not actually.. missing. He sneaked out, you know? And now everyone is searching for him.. What should we do? If we tell anyone, he will get into real trouble.., Sakura blurted, sounding genuinely worried about the blonde all of a sudden.

The male stared at her in obvious disbelief, cocking an eyebrow critically.

- And.. How do you know this? he demanded to know.

- I heard him talking to Inuzuka. That boy is in on it too, it's all an act! Can you believe they would do that?

"I don't know what this girl is on about. Uzumaki wouldn't do something like that, right?"

- Okay, I need you to tell me exactly what they were saying. Can you do that?

Sakura nodded, taking a deep breath.

- I was about to deliver a message to Kakashi-sensei from Minami-sensei and when I came close to the boy's dorm, I heard some talking from the inside of one of the dorm rooms, whose window was open. I recognized the voices, became curious and decided to listen. They made some sort of bet. Inuzuka dared Uzumaki to sneak out when no body was looking and he said 'You're on!' and then he started talking about how he really wanted to get out of this place and explore on his own. When Inuzuka asked, he said that he didn't care if the rest of us started worrying about him. Then Inuzuka said that if Uzumaki was to go through with it, he would promise to act as if he didn't have a clue as to what happened to him. I hid around the corner and watched Uzumaki leave through the window. I didn't get a chance to see in what direction he went though, since Inuzuka appeared in the window and I somehow didn't want him to know that I'd heard the whole so called 'plan', so I just kept hiding until I was sure he was gone. But can you _believe_ they did that?

Sasuke slowly, reluctantly took in the given information. It was very hard for him to accept that the boy he'd thought he knew could be so heartless as to not give a damn if others worried about him. Didn't Naruto care about _him_? After all, he did disappear while Sasuke was asleep, without even leaving a note or _anything _and let the raven worry. Wasn't their friendship worth more than that?

- But if you knew all this, why haven't you told anyone until now?

Sakura faced the floor sadly.

- It just feels so.. rotten, you know? I thought, since you're his roommate, that at least you should know the truth, but I'm not one to turn people in like that. That idiot is probably too dumb to realize in what huge trouble he's going to be when people find out. So I thought that maybe you want to help me cover the story up and pretend that something really did happen. It would only be fair, because I feel sort of bad for all the times I've scolded him without a real reason.. Even if what he's done now is much worse, I want to compensate for my own behavior. I've been a little too harsh on him, she admitted in shame.

Sasuke kept silent for a long moment, merely observing the girl to see whether she was speaking the truth or not and sure enough, she was truly looking regretful. He sighed as he concluded that she was most likely being honest, since this meant that Naruto really could care less if others worried like crazy about him. Though, the part about the blonde being too dumb to understand what a mess he had put himself into was probably true as well and Sasuke wanted to help him, even if he didn't deserve it for what he had done. To Naruto and Kiba, it could be just a game, but Sasuke had seen the intense worry in the female teacher's eyes and he was sure it reflected the same feeling he had had, before he was told of the truth. Regardless, he would help Sakura cover the story up, for he didn't want his friend to get into too much trouble.. A part of him still wondered if Naruto's disappearance could have had something to do with the pain and sadness he had been trying to hide the day before.. Perhaps, he just wasn't in his right state of mind when he accepted the bet. To Sasuke, that was much more believable than Naruto having abandoned him and the rest of his friends just for a little 'adventure'. The Naruto he knew simply wasn't that type of a person and he prayed that his assumptions were right. The glasses boy must have accepted the bet because he secretly wanted some alone time and had forgotten to think things through clearly. It didn't seem too far-fetched, with it being Naruto and all, but of course, Sasuke would refrain from letting the pink-haired girl know of these suspicions.

- Alright, I'll help you come up with a story, he stated instead.

- Really? Sakura questioned, snapping her head up to gaze at him with hopeful eyes.

- Hn.

They started discussing different lies and excuses that could come in handy, Sakura having come up with surprisingly many ideas. In between talking she would start to sound grumpy and angry with the blonde, telling Sasuke how the idiot had assured Kiba that he really didn't give a shit what the others thought and he how cruel he was.., but quickly covering her anger up and saying that she would still help him, no matter what. It was the first time in history Sasuke actually respected the girl and he was almost even starting to take a liking to her, in a friendly manner of course. She was a good person after all, to help someone she hated and who had gotten in over his head. She was a whole lot better than he had previously thought.

- Should we go with this method then? the Uchiha inquired, sounding quite satisfied with their success in coming up with a plan.

- Hai! It's flawless! Sakura beamed.

Sasuke flashed her a very rare, small smile, making her blush and avert her eyes.

- So, we're not supposed to know anything yet, am I right? he asked.

The pinkette snapped out of her daydreaming to glance up at him, only to see that he had risen from his seat and was staring directly at her with a questioning look.

- T..That's right.. Not quite yet. We have to make it seem realistic, ne? she replied, slightly stuttering.

- Hn, Sasuke said again and walked off, leaving the girl by herself.

"I must admit, it's a great plan. They'll definitely fall for it", he thought, smirking as he entered his and Naruto's dorm room.

He sat down on his bed, staring out into space.

"But I wonder when the dobe is planning to come back.. He can't possibly stay out until tomorrow, can he? What if he's actually gotten into some sort of trouble by now? It's definitely not impossible.. Dobe, you better be alright.."

He frowned, feeling how the worry once again presented itself in the form of a bad feeling in his chest.

About an hour later, he woke up, not having realized he fell asleep in the first place. He glanced around groggily, searching for a blond head, but of course there was none. He sat up, sighing heavily.

"I'm not meeting up with Haruno quite yet.. I'll just take a walk to clear my head. I need to stop thinking so much, it's not like it's going to do any good now.."

The next sightseeing tour had been delayed, possibly even cancelled. It depended on whether the blonde was to be found or not. The majority of the students were occupied with thoughts on the disappearance, rather than sightseeing. Most of the girls were more curious and perplexed than worried, because it had yet not been even a full day since the boy went missing and hardly any of them even accepted the blonde himself, not that they were evil enough to feel happy about his misfortune though. However, Sasuke knew that Naruto and Hinata were friends and that was why he hadn't been surprised to have spotted her in the diner earlier, looking about as anxious as Minami and himself had been. The boys were either frustrated or worried, but it wasn't evident on all of them. Kiba was the most restless, or so it seemed. Sasuke knew better than to fall for his act, although the dog boy was doing well so far.

Once outside, he looked up and noted that the sky had started to become darker, just as the temperature felt a bit chillier than before. He tucked his hands into his pant pockets and stood there, gazing at the endless sky with a troubled expression.

"Dobe, I wonder what caused you to do this.. If only..."

His trail of thought was interrupted as he heard some low talking around the girls' area. He was able to pick out a few words, as he was standing somewhere in between the two dorms. Turning his head, the Uchiha's eyes couldn't make out any presence on the other side, though he was having one of those rare moments, in which curiosity was winning over other senses.

He soundlessly wandered closer to where the voice was coming from, feeling strangely relieved that the four girls standing in the far outer corner of the building hadn't noticed him.

- You WHAT?

- Shh Ino! Not so loud! Now, would you repeat what you just said? I want to see if I got it right.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at hearing Sakura's voice among the suspicious girls, who were clearly up to no good. The boy inhaled, feeling the slight tension in the air.

- Ah yeah, as I was saying, I.. told the guy about you.. No, no! Of course I didn't mention your name, but he kept asking and it was really getting on my nerves, so I just said that we were taking orders from our 'leader', an unknown voice uttered speedily.

- Oh, I see.. That should be fine. There you go Ino, no need to worry. I told you these girls were good, Sakura stated deviously, causing Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall on the other side, to frown.

"What's going on..?"

**Naruto's PoV:**

The blonde, gagged boy sat on the hard, uncomfortable stone flooring, shivering fiercely. His glasses had dropped to the floor while he had been waiting for hours for someone to let him out. His tears had long since dried up, but now the dry substance was sticking to his skin. Much worse than that was that he wouldn't have been able to express in words how very cold he felt. If this was hell, then hell had surely frozen over. He both heard and felt his stomach give out a loud growl, begging to be fed.

"Somebody, please.. I'm freezing.. I think I'm going to.. die"

He finally gave up on trying to stay conscious, letting his drained body fall over with a small thud.

"Sa..su..ke..."

* * *

**I am so evil ^_^**

**Yay! We've finally reached chapter 10! **

**And I broke the length record again! Wooh! :D**

***Listens to German music***

**About update: Do I even need to say anything anymore? You should all know by now that I'm very slow and I also mentioned at the end of last chappie that my updates will most likely _not_ become more frequent, at least not for now. Sorry x_X**

**Hmm, so about the chappie: Too much drama? Too clichê? Idk, this is just another thing that popped up in my head (but it was actually quite a long time ago that it did.. I'd sort of been waiting to write this), which I thought would be fun to try. Well, it _is _supposed to be a drama fic anyway, so yeah, it's bound to be a little bit cheesy and stuff.. (What? I happen to like cheese! *hmph*). Sorry Naru-chan, but your misery (at least this one) won't last that long, so hang in there! :)**

**There's something I forgot to mention at the end of last chapter, which I had _really _intended to bring up, no matter what. I knew there was something, but I just couldn't figure it out (damn this freaking Alzheimer head of mine xD).**

**I've been asked repeated times why on earth I write like this, with the odd speech instead of quotations, and I've also replied similarly to each person who has wondered about this. The thing is that I simply didn't really consider that fact when I first started on the story. Writing like this was what felt the most natural to me, but lately my opinion on that has greatly changed. You see, I've read a lot of books in the past where the speech has been written like this, so I kinda picked up that way of writing.. but nowadays it feels unnatural to write this way, even for me. However, I am still going to continue with this writing style until the end, which is when I will be rewriting the fic (fixing grammar/spelling errors and maybe adding stuff to the first few chappies). The reason why I'm not changing my way of writing is that it would be too weird to change it just like that, after all this time. Instead, I've decided to stick to this style for now. I'm sorry if it bothers you people, but I really hope that there are some of you who don't care about it as well.**

**Minami did still not get a chance to talk to her nephew and now she has to worry about his disappearance. :/ A conversation between the two of them just didn't fit into this chappie either, but maybe the next one..**

**I have a feeling, next chappie is going to be even more clichê than this one, but I also think I'm going to include a little romance (hopefully) for your liking..**

**Btw, I wrote a fic for Naru-chan's b-day. It's a very long one shot. It's random and totally lacks an actual plot, but I tried my best to be funny.. It's kind of hard to get people to read 'parody fics' though :/ *Sigh* But if you want to, I definitely won't mind if you check it out! :D**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the drama and wish to leave a review. I'd be happy with anything from 2 to 500 words and it definitely doesn't have to be all praise, though I do get offended by rude, blunt flames. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed so far! I'm relieved nobody has hated it enough to write a serious flame (yet)! ^_^**


	11. Playing with Cold Fire

_**Chapter 11: 'Playing with Cold Fire'**_

**Sasuke's PoV:**

- Ah yeah, as I was saying, I.. told the guy about you.. No, no! Of course I didn't mention your name, but he kept asking and it was really getting on my nerves, so I just said that we were taking orders from our 'leader', an unknown voice uttered speedily.

- Oh, I see.. That should be fine. There you go Ino, no need to worry. I told you these girls were good, Sakura stated deviously, causing Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall on the other side, to frown.

"What's going on..?"

The raven listened intently, waiting for the voices to continue. The next thing he heard was pleased giggles.

- Well, this should certainly teach him a lesson, Ino spoke with glee.

- Un, but don't forget why we're doing it.., came Sakura's reply.

- Hai hai.. Don't worry, 'leader-sama'..

- Mou Ino-pig! Don't make fun of me!

Then there was a sound resembling a playful nudge, which was followed by the sound of someone sticking their tongue out in a teasing manner. Meanwhile, Sasuke was analyzing the strange conversation. It took him a few seconds to connect two and two. His eyes widened in shock, then proceeded to narrow into furious slits. For once, he really didn't want to believe that his conclusion was correct. He wanted to disregard it as a silly, paranoid precaution, though, the words that had been shared between the girls were quite clear. It had to have been about Naruto.. Who else?

"That lying...! How could she..?", he screamed in his mind, the intense anger nearly overcoming his rational thinking.

He had been tricked. For a brief second, he wanted nothing more than to walk up to them and.. and.. he didn't know what he would do next.., just that it would not be pretty. But fortunately, his calm, reasonable nature forced him to pull himself together and listen to the rest of the conversation. He needed to be absolutely sure about the girls' part in the whole mess and he also wanted to get them to reveal the location of his blonde friend without having to approach them, as he was afraid he would lose his last bit of self control upon coming face to face with the guilty people.

He subconsciously clutched his racing heart, waiting for the ridiculous kindergarden bickering between the two.. _bitches_ to end, so that he could hear the rest of the tale. He felt.. desperate to know the truth and the feeling scared him a little, since he hadn't been aware of the fact that even _he_ was able to experience desperation. Being in love proved to be very.. mind-changing, or maybe he had only just begun to learn about his own true self?

"Iie.. That can wait.. More importantly..", he thought, shaking his head to rid of his previous contemplation and focus on the matter at hand.

- So.., Sakura started, then paused.

Sasuke guessed she was making sure that nobody was around to hear what she was about to say.

- ..Where exactly did you take him?

He held his breath.

- Inside the kitchen in the main building. We'll show you if you want to see.., a fourth voice said.

- Maybe later. I'm meeting up with Sasuke-kun soon. Wish me luck! the student council president announced cheerily, making Sasuke feel as if he was going to loose the contents in his stomach.

- Hai! Good luck Kaichou!

He didn't wait to hear the rest. Instead, he headed straight for the place that had been mentioned, all the while wondering how come nobody had found the dobe in a place such as that.

As the determined raven raced through the diner, gaining a few odd looks from the seated people in the process, he absently noted that there weren't many there anymore, just about five students or something similar to that. He was aware of the fact that his eyes were filled with rage, but he couldn't do anything, this time, to stop his anger from being visible. Not a minute too early, he burst through the slide door which led to his goal. He hastily looked around the small, somewhat empty room, finding nothing. But of course, that didn't make him give up. The blonde _had to_ be there.

- Oi, Uzumaki? Are you in here? Sasuke questioned out loud, but received no answer.

"Dobe, where the hell are you?", he silently wondered, scowling.

His eyes kept scanning the room, left to right, right to left, and his ears were intently trying to pick up a sound, anything. He took a few steps forward, landing on a slightly worn-out, beige rug on the floor. After a hopeless couple of minutes searching, his head slumped in disappointment, allowing dark bangs to cover his eyes, which conveyed everything he was feeling.

He didn't know how long he had been standing in that position when, eventually, he heard something. His head shot up. Perking his ears, he listened closely. It sounded again, louder this time. The third time it appeared, the Uchiha boy identified the sound as a cough. He frowned.

"Where is that coming from?"

He clenched his teeth as his distressed brain tried to figure out a logical solution to the problem. Then he heard it again.

- There! he exclaimed triumphantly, stepping off the rug to, in one swift motion, push it aside.

He didn't hesitate a single second to eagerly start pulling on the metal handle on the floor. Shutting his eyes in exertion, he slowly, but surely, hauled the heavy hatch open. He looked down, panting. It was too dark to see anything, though, he shivered as the chilly air hit him in the face. The space below the hatchway smelled moldy. Sasuke grabbed the handle of the ladder and began to firmly climb down, worry coursing through his body all the time. As he reached the bottom, he noticed how small the strange basement was. It took him about a minute of blinking to adjust his eyes to the dark. Then he saw him, the lone boy slumped against the wall. The raven's eyes widened in alarm as he hurriedly made his way over to Naruto, whose eyes were closed and body quivering. Seeing this, Sasuke crouched next to him.

- Uzumaki? Hey, are you alright? he basically shouted into the blonde's ears, voice clearly signifying all of his concern.

Naruto stirred weakly as his eyes started fluttering open. The gag around his mouth was broken and appeared to have partly been bit off. He didn't seem to notice when the other teen removed what was left of it.

- U..Uchih..a..? he inquired in confusion, his raspy voice barely above a whisper.

With a worried scowl, Sasuke noticed how his friend's eyes seemed completely unfocused, as if he was depending merely on his hearing.

- Yes, it's me, the Uchiha confirmed in an uncharacteristically gentle tone, secretly praising himself for being able to keep his composure.

Naruto said nothing, but a small, relieved smile spread across his lips. Without a warning, he shakily took Sasuke's hand into his, causing said boy to slightly jump, unprepared to come in contact with such cold skin. Sasuke regarded the blonde with a questioning look.

- Please, c-can you l-lend me some of your w-warmth? It's s-so c-cold.., Naruto stuttered, blue eyes pleading.

Sasuke gasped at the helpless look his unusually pale crush was giving him.

"How could they do_ this _to him? I'll never forgive them for this.. Never!", he vowed to himself as he tightened the hold on Naruto's hand.

- Of course you can.. But, we need to get you out of here as soon as possible, he reasoned aloud, worry lacing his voice.

- I- I know, but please.. J-just a minute.. I d-don't think I can m-move just yet.., the blonde replied unsteadily.

Sasuke looked at the pitiful boy, onyx eyes indicating how much it pained him to see Naruto in such a bad shape. He pulled the other boy closer, hugging him tightly as he felt that he, _the _Sasuke Uchiha, was on the verge of crying. Naruto coughed hoarsely, before gratefully, yet weakly returning the affectionate hug. Sasuke heard the blonde sniffle into his shoulder, which resulted in held-back tears soundlessly overflowing as he comforted his friend.

- I'm sorry for letting them do this, for believing that girl..., he managed to say as he patted the blonde's back, much like a mother would do to her child.

The motion seemed to calm the boy, who stopped quivering.

- It's okay Uchiha, you didn't do anything wrong, Naruto interrupted, voice sounding honest as he kept holding onto the raven.

- ..I should have known that she was faking.. I'm really sorry, Sasuke finished regretfully, having ignored Naruto's remark.

- I don't know what you're talking about and I don't think I want to know either. Really, just don't worry about it. I'm happy you found me, you know.

Sasuke could tell by his voice that Naruto was smiling.

- Naruto, I..

The addressed boy suddenly let go of the Uchiha, nervously backing away a bit. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow in confusion. He stared into azure eyes, before studying the entire face of the blonde, only then noting that Naruto was.. _blushing?_

- You just.. W-what did you say? the blue-eyed boy, now stuttering out of embarrassment, inquired.

- Huh? I just said.. Oh! I meant _Uzumaki _of course! I don't know why I called you by first name.. Sorry about that.., Sasuke responded awkwardly, acting completely different from his usual self.

"Damn! I slipped up!"

All of a sudden, Naruto's face shifted into a genuine smile and as he approached the other boy again, Sasuke took note of the fact that he was only slightly quivering, but his mind was too occupied to really worry about the blonde's health for the moment.

- It's okay.. Sasuke, he said with a grin.

This time, it was the raven's turn to blush. It wasn't big, but it was still noticeable on his pale features. Naruto smirked at this. Sasuke looked away in order to compose himself, which he only managed to do after a few seconds.

- So, you're intending to call _me _by first name, huh? the Uchiha questioned mischievously.

- Yep, it's only fair if you'll be calling me Naruto, the Uzumaki replied, just as playfully.

Sasuke was extremely relieved to see the blonde's spark returning so quickly, although he did find it odd. Was his body heat so good that it would cause a freezing boy to become so energetic in mere minutes? Then again, this was the _dobe _after all. Surely, he wouldn't stay sickly for long.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto really was grateful towards the raven for saving him and he promised himself to repay him for it someday. He didn't understand why, but somehow, he was really happy about the fact that it was _Sasuke _who had found him. But that didn't mean it wasn't fun to tease his friend every once in a while though, no matter how cold his body literally was. Yes, he was still very cold, but he wasn't feeling as if would freeze to death anymore. Despite his demeanor, Sasuke was actually very.. warm and comfortable, the blonde had to admit. Anyhow, he did good in hiding how cold he felt, but had the basement not been so dark, it would have been impossible not to notice the off-looking pale skin of the blonde. Though, he really didn't mind the dark as it also hid his, most probably, very red, puffy eyes.

Finally realizing how pointless and silly it was to pretend that he was perfectly okay, Naruto collected his glasses from the floor, speaking:

- Anyway, I think we should get going. It really is damn cold down here..

- Uh.. Yeah, of course! Sasuke agreed, quickly realizing what the blonde was hinting towards.

With the way Sasuke was, Naruto figured that he was a bit ashamed of himself for not picking up on it sooner, but he really had no reason to feel guilty. After all, he was Naruto Uzumaki, a little, chilly basement wouldn't be able to bring him down.

As he slowly raised his numb legs from the floor, he felt an already standing Sasuke grab his left arm, helping him stand too. Naruto's gaze rested on the raven, who still held onto him as he motioned for the blonde to climb up first. Shrugging, he began heading for the narrow ladder, secretly feeling confused and slightly appalled that the loss of Sasuke's touch made the coldness return instantly and caused him to shiver visibly. From the corner of his eye, he threw a nervous glance in the raven's direction, but to his relief, Sasuke didn't seem as if he was going to comment on it. Without further ado, he began climbing with friend and savior in tow. As soon as his eyes were met with a brightly lit room, he squinted painfully, barely able to keep them open.

- Oi dobe, why did you slow down? came Sasuke's failed attempt of an uncaring tone.

Naruto's head whipped around to face him, furrowed brows and annoyed pout in place.

- Well sorry then! I can't help it that it's so damn bright! he huffed.

Sasuke sighed.

- Fine fine, I get it. Now keep walking, would you? he said, voice sounding as if he was lecturing a child.

The blonde turned back around and complied without a word, though the annoyed pout remained on his lips.

They were soon back in the kitchen, peering down the black hole of a basement. Another shiver made its way down Naruto's spine and he quickly averted his eyes. As he bent down in front of the blasted hatchway, he sent a grateful smile towards Sasuke, as the raven was quick to aid him in putting the hatch back in its rightful place.

- You might have to explain to Kakashi-sensei and Tachibana-sensei what happened, Sasuke suggested after a moment of silence.

- Uh.. I.. I'm not sure if that's a good idea.., Naruto mumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably.

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow at that.

- Care to say why not? he asked.

Naruto stared at the floor as he hugged himself, rubbing heat into his arms.

- It's just that.. Umm.. Those girls... They were scary! Did you see them? he replied, voice going from an uncertain mumble to a questioning exclamation.

- No, but I know that Haruno and... that Yamanaka girl were involved..

- Huh? Really? Naruto questioned in disbelief, eyes widening slightly.

- You didn't know that? Oh.. Of course you didn't.. They didn't reveal themselves to you. That Haruno sent some girls to leave you in that basement.., Sasuke said in realization, angry scowl reappearing.

- Haruno did? the blonde victim exclaimed, although, as he thought about it, it made sense. A lot of sense. It was a known fact that Sakura Haruno hated Naruto Uzumaki's guts and was crazily in love with the Uchiha. Searching through his brain, Naruto came to the comprehension that the 'leader' the girls had mentioned was none other than the pink-haired Kaichou of their school.

- Well.., where should we go now, Sasuke? the blonde inquired, successfully snapping the raven out of his brooding.

- Ah.. As I was saying, we should go contact the teachers. For some reason, Tachibana-sensei seemed really worried about you after she found out you were missing.

Naruto glanced at him, sudden guilt evident in his cerulean eyes.

"I made auntie worried," he thought sadly, looking down slightly.

- Is that so..? I guess I should tell them, although.. those girls warned me not to tell anyone about this kidnapping thing, or else I'd be in real trouble, but.. I think it's too late for that, seeing as I've already been found, ne? he said, finishing with a grin.

- I can imagine they told you that yeah.. But do you even know why they did this? Sasuke questioned, causing Naruto's head to snap up, staring at the other teen disbelievingly.

"Oh wow.. _The _Sasuke Uchiha is actually.. clueless about something for once?" the blonde thought, smirking. "Someone should record this.. But.. This is good. I won't tell him. He'll feel way too guilty", he decided quietly.

- I have no idea, he said out loud with a sigh.

Sasuke frowned.

- So, you didn't ask them then..?

- Of course I asked, baka! They just wouldn't tell me anything, except that they were taking orders from some 'leader', who turned out to be Haruno! Naruto exclaimed, feigning exasperation.

- I see. Well, let's go find Kakashi-sensei then.., or Tachibana-sensei, Sasuke said, beginning to exit the kitchen with a seemingly offended blonde, whose red eyes and pale skin were thankfully returning to normal.

He headed for the door, opened it, but then stopped in his tracks, turning his gaze back to the other teen.

- What? Naruto questioned irritably for almost having knocked into his friend.

- You don't have to fake it, U.. Naruto. I know you're cold and at this rate you'll end up with a fever. Here, you can borrow my jacket, Sasuke offered, shrugging out of said piece of clothing and averting his eyes from the grumpy stare he was receiving, which soon evolved into a pout.

- I'm fine Sasuke, the blonde huffed, crossing his arms stubbornly.

- Just take it, the raven persisted.

- Tch, fine, I will! But I'm fine without it, just so you know! Naruto exclaimed as he roughly grabbed the jacket and swung it over his back, glaring childishly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

- But it's not smart to walk around in a thin spring jacket when it's this cold outside. Didn't anyone teach you that?

Naruto puffed his cheeks up.

- I know that! I just.. forgot the warmer one at home. I'm not that stupid if that's what you're saying, teme. Besides, this one isn't even mine! I threw my jacket into the closet, but I actually convinced one of those girls to let me borrow hers while we were outside.

Said 'bastard' smirked his usual, all-knowing smirk.

- Whatever you say, dobe. Now come on, there are people who are actually worried about you..

- Fine, fine.. bossy teme.., Naruto grumbled to himself as he finally followed his friend to the other side of the door.

"Still, I'm happy there are others except auntie who care," he thought, a genuine smile momentarily coming across his lips as he watched the back of his best friend, only to fade seconds later as he forced himself to act like normal.

They walked through the diner, which was completely deserted by now. Naruto curiously looked on as the Uchiha glanced at his watch, wincing.

- It's pretty late.. I'm sure all the students, except us, are inside of their rooms by now. But we should go find Kakashi-sensei, the raven stated indifferently.

Naruto nodded in understanding, which went unseen by Sasuke.

The two of them made their way to the boys' dorm, Sasuke sighing in relief to find the front door unlocked. Inside was unlighted and empty, as expected. Naruto shuddered unwillingly.

They glanced around, both pondering how to find their perverted sensei. Even Naruto had to try and concentrate his brain for this one.

Suddenly, without warning, a dark figure came out of the shadows, book in hand. The blonde drew in a surprised breath and Sasuke took a few steps backwards. Then they saw the face, the U-shaped curve of the eye, the weird mask and the whitish hair.

- Kakashi-sensei, Naruto spoke, voice clearly conveying his relief.

Sasuke just glared.

- Oh, so if it isn't Uzumaki-kun who had decided to show up, eh? Kakashi stated, voice monotone.

- What were you doing lurking in the shadows? Sasuke inquired.

"Heh, he's irritated at having been caught off-guard," Naruto observed in amused silence.

- Well, I was just hoping to bump into two of my favorite students is all, the teacher replied innocently.

Naruto looked down, scratching the back of his head.

- Ano.. Kaka-

- No, Uzumaki-kun, it's okay, Kakashi interrupted, sounding more serious than they had ever heard him, then continued;

- You should explain this to both me and Tachibana-san tomorrow instead. I'm sure you had your reasons for disappearing. Go sleep for now. Does that sound fine?

- Yes sensei, Sasuke replied in place of his hesitant friend.

- But wait a second! Naruto exclaimed desperately, surprising both teacher and classmate.

- What is it, Uzumaki-kun?

- Well.. I just.. wanted to ask you.. Did.. Did I ruin the entire day for the rest of you because of all this mess? Naruto demanded to know, voice slightly quivering and eyes boring into Kakashi's guiltily.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Sasuke stared at the blonde in disbelief and irritation. How could he worry about such a thing after having been trapped in a freezing basement almost the whole day? The raven wanted to shout at him, telling him he should be much more concerned about his own health than some classmates missing a sightseeing tour.

Kakashi blinked, stunned.

- No, don't worry about that, Uzumaki-kun. Nobody seemed to be thinking about sightseeing today. I'm sure they won't be angry with you, as long as something really did happen, which must be the case, am I correct? I'm glad Uchiha-kun here, who was looking for you earlier, finally found you, he responded, smiling reassuringly.

Naruto nodded, looking away, still appearing to be feeling a little bad.

Sasuke cleared his throat.

- Let's go Naruto, he said softly, slightly pulling on the blonde's arm in order to snap him out of his thoughts.

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow upon hearing Sasuke Uchiha calling the Uzumaki boy by first name, but said nothing. As he watched them walk off to their shared dorm room, he was secretly pleased to see that the unhealthily antisocial Uchiha had finally found himself a friend. With a yawn, the teacher decided it was time for him to get some rest as well.

As soon as they entered their room, Sasuke watched Naruto set his glasses aside to flop down face-first on his bed. He was a bit concerned about the dobe's sudden change in mood and desperately wanted to cheer him up, but how was he to go about doing that without seeming suspicious?

- Hey dobe, how are you feeling? Are you still cold? he asked, seating himself on his own bed, legs crossed.

Naruto lifted his head a little to allow one of his eyes permission to glance at the raven.

- Honestly, I've been better. But I'm mostly tired, not so much cold anymore. Suppose I should return the jacket?

As an answer to his own question, he sat up, removed the object and threw it at his roommate, who absently caught it without a word. Then he proceeded by taking off the other jacket and throwing it on the floor. Sasuke frowned slightly, before shrugging it off as tired behaviour.

- You're awefully quiet, dobe, he pointed out after hanging both of the jackets up and resisting the urge to throw the girl's jacket in the trashcan.

Naruto looked away, shoulders slouching and every trace of a smile completely gone, making the raven think he appeared.. older for a few seconds, until the blonde forced another fake grin onto his face.

- I told you I'm tired, that's all! Seriously! he answered, sheepishly scratching the back of his head in the manner that was so typical of him.

- You don't have to fake it Uzumaki, Sasuke said again, glaring irritably at the blonde.

Naruto finally faced him, eyes wide for a brief second, before they once again became dull, resembling an unmoving ocean.

- It's Naruto.. to you.., he mumbled.

Sasuke didn't know what to reply to that. The way the blonde had said it made it hard for him to hold back a rare blush, even though he knew that Naruto merely meant as in 'because we're best friends' and not 'because I like you'.

Instead of replying, he staggered over to the blonde's bed and sat down beside him. Surprisingly, the other boy just looked at him sadly. The raven's heart ached as his black orbs met those beautiful, sorrowful ones, in which he almost felt himself drowning. He took a firm hold of Naruto's shoulders, keeping his gaze on the other's.

- Naruto.. You know, you can talk to me if there's something on your mind.., he spoke hesitantly.

Naruto averted his eyes as they began shimmering with non-shed tears.

- I- It's nothing.., he claimed, voice reduced to a whisper.

The pain in Sasuke's heart intensified as he watched his crush with a worried frown.

"Why won't he tell me anything? Doesn't he trust me..?"

- Is this about what you discussed with Kakashi-sensei? he asked, using the same soft tone as before.

Naruto didn't respond. He just stared at the floor, biting his lip as the tears threatened to fall. Sasuke allowed him some time to answer the question when he saw those lips moving as if to talk, although no sound escaped them.

- It's just.. I didn't want to cause anymore.. trouble.. like that.. And..., the blonde finally managed to mumble, then stopped without the intention of continuing as he realized he was no longer capable of holding the tears back.

None of them did anything to stop the liquid from pouring, though, the Uchiha was tempted to wipe it from those scarred cheeks.

- It wasn't your fault Naruto, he comforted the unusually frail boy.

"He must have been through even worse things than I thought in the past to react like this.."

- It _was_ my fault! It always is.., the blue-eyed boy sniffled hopelessly, tears falling like a waterfall.

Sasuke let go of his shoulders and pulled him into another embrace. It was moments like these with the one he loved that the raven felt brave, as if he was someone to depend on, someone who was needed.

- Don't worry, Naruto. I'm here for you..

- Why are you, Sasuke? Why don't you abandon me? Why do you care about me? Naruto demanded to know, desperately gripping onto the Uchiha as if he was afraid he would slip away.

Sasuke's heartbeat quickened when he was asked the questions he had been afraid of answering ever since he'd realized his feelings. He could tell him 'that's what friends are for', but that wasn't the whole truth and Naruto was in need of the truth.

- Because...

- Because what Sasuke? Naruto sobbed, his voice hoarse and thick.

- Do you really want to know the truth? the raven inquired in all seriousness, breaking out of the hug and carefully taking the blonde's hands into his.

Naruto, who had stopped crying, stared him expectantly right in the eye, silently delivering his reply.

Sasuke returned the intense gaze, gulping as an attempt to rid of the nervousness building in his throat.

- The truth is, I.. Please don't freak out when you hear this Naruto and don't take it as a joke. I'm completely serious, he began, spotting slight impatience in the tear-drenched face of the other boy at the slow progress he was making.

He let go of one of Naruto's hands in order to wipe away some of the drying liquid covering the blonde's features with his shirt sleeve.

- I love you.. baka, he said, smiling genuinely as he felt all of his hesitation slowly fade away.

"I've.. said it..," he thought, closing his eyes in relief, as well as worry for the answer he was about to receive.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto's head went blank. He simply stared at the raven, trying to determine whether he had really just said what he thought he'd heard. Tree simple words were too much information to take in, since they were definitely not words he had ever expected to come out of the Uchiha's mouth, and thus, he just didn't know how to react. He sat there, staring, as the minutes went by.

After what felt like an eternity, he broke free of the grasp, pulling his hand protectively towards his chest as he eyed the other wearily. While he did, Sasuke's eyes opened and what Naruto saw was.. worry, self-awareness and.. pain? He must had been hiding those feelings for some time now. And then it clicked. The kiss.. Of course, how could he have been so stupid? Sasuke had been suffering and he had been completely ignorant, so ignorant he wanted to hit himself. Hadn't he sworn not to cause such pain to another person? He felt the tears attempting to well up again, but forced them back with a gulp.

- You.. love.. me? he spoke, voice sounding patethically weak, like someone who had just been beaten.

- I do.. Don't you believe me Naruto? Sasuke questioned, gazing pleadingly into blue eyes.

Naruto sensed the hurt in his voice and almost cringed, but instead forced himself to nod.

"All this time.. I've been trying so hard to convince myself that I do not feel that way towards Sasuke.. And now he's confessing that that's exactly what he feel towards me? This is so confusing! Wait.. Isn't _that_ why I've been feeling strange? I've been unconsciously sensing those strong feelings he has and I've thought them to be mine? This is bad.. _Really _bad. What should I say? I don't.. I mean, I like him, but.. but not like that! I don't want to hurt him.."

- It's okay.. You don't have to say anything, Sasuke said dejectedly, turning to leave.

- Sasuke! Naruto exclaimed, then looked away, finishing quietly;

- I.. Uh.. Never mind..

Sasuke gave him a sad smile, before he returned to his own bed, taking off shirt and tucking himself in with back towards the other boy, who was left with his own thoughts.

The next day, Naruto, who had actually managed to get himself some sleep even with the events of the day before gnawing at the back of his mind, woke up ahead of Sasuke, or so he thought he did. He wasn't sure if the raven was just pretending to be asleep so that he wouldn't have to face the one he had confessed his feelings to the night before, or if he really was sleeping.

The blonde sat up, stretching his arms with a big yawn, then covered his mouth to prevent the yawn from making a sound and waking the possibly sleeping person on the other side of the room.

"Ugh.. I feel awful.. And I still can't believe Sasuke is.. in love with me.., unless it was a dream.. Yeah right, as if I'm ever _that_ lucky and now I've embarrassed myself by crying like that in front of him. Shit.. Uh anyway, what was it I was going to do first thing in the morning again?" he thought, blinking and tilting his head slightly as he questioned himself.

"Oh, that's right.. I have to go talk to auntie.. But where to find her? Hmm..."

He rose up, keeping his gaze anywhere but at the Uchiha's resting form.

After cleaning his glasses off and putting them, as well as whatever clothing he could find, on, he headed out to locate Kakashi. Surely, the perverted teacher would know where to find Minami.

He walked through the narrow corridor in thought, pondering whether to just knock on every door until he found the one he was looking for. Shrugging, he decided that was probably the most effective way to get a hold of Kakashi and so, he began by knocking on the door next to his and Sasuke's. He slammed his knuckles against the wooden surface three times before an irritated Hyuga showed up in the doorway.

- What can I.., Neji began, then froze and inspected the intruder a little better.

- Wait, aren't you Uzumaki, the one everyone was looking for yesterday? They found you now? he questioned, narrowing his white eyes.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

- Ehh.. Yeah, they did. I was wondering, have you seen Kakashi-sensei? he asked hopefully.

- Sorry, neither I nor Rock (as in Rock Lee ofc) can help you. None of us have been outside of this room yet today.

- Oh, I see, the blonde replied, not even attempting to hide his disappointment, then grinned and waved goodbye, continuing over to the next door as Neji shut his.

The following fifteen minutes went to knocking on doors, asking for Kakashi with no success and getting yelled at by Kiba for letting the dog-loving boy worry.

Currently, he was situated in front of the last door in the corridor, relieved to realize that the teacher _had _to be on the other side. He knocked twice, then waited.

Surprisingly, it didn't take more than two minutes for Kakashi to reveal himself, wearing that same bored expression as usual. Upon seeing the blonde boy, his one visible eye quirked, indicating a smile.

- Hello there, Uzumaki-kun. I take it you want to see your aunt? he questioned.

Blue eyes widened and ears sharpened, hearing the teacher address Minami as such.

- She told you? Naruto asked.

- Yes, she did tell me that you're her nephew, Kakashi replied nonchalantly, stepping out of the doorway, into the corridor, and locking the door.

- Hmm.., the blonde mumbled in response.

"I wonder why she told Kakashi-sensei? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter."

- Let's head out. Uchiha-kun and I found out yesterday where Tachibana-san's room is, so it will probably not take long to find her, the white-haired man stated.

Naruto said nothing. The sudden mention of Sasuke's name made him feel sullen.

As Kakashi had guessed, it didn't take long for them to find Minami. They only had to wait a few seconds for the woman to open the door and when she did, her whole face lit up into a bright smile. A few tears of relief made their way down her cheeks as she hugged her nephew tightly.

- Naruto-kun! Where have you been? I've been so worried! she exclaimed.

- I'm sorry auntie, the teen muttered, looking away guiltily as Minami broke out of the hug.

She gazed at him, eyes full of concern as she stroked his cheek affectionately.

Kakashi cleared his throat.

- Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but I think it's time for Uzumaki-kun to explain where he has been all this time, don't you think, Tachibana-san?

- Ah.. Yes, of course, she replied, using her thumb to wipe the tears off and blushing slightly at having lost her composure.

- But first, we should find somewhere to sit.., the other teacher suggested.

- Oh, how rude of me! Please, do come in, Minami offered, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter.

The other two did as told and walked into the woman's room. It was a little bit smaller than Sasuke and Naruto's dorm room and the furnishing was similar, with the exception that it was intended for one person.

Once all three of them were seated, the two adults looked expectantly at Naruto, who fidgeted, not quite knowing where to begin. In the end, he decided it was best to start from the beginning. He finally looked up from his hands to place his attention on his teacher and aunt, face serious and determined.

"Okay, here goes.."

For the next half an hour, the teachers listened intently as the student told them most of what had happened to him the day before and what he had heard from his raven-haired friend, excluding the confession of love.

* * *

**The name of the chappie is so strange =/ I couldn't come up with anything better, so it became 'Playing with Cold Fire', as in Sasuke comforting a freezing Naruto and soon later risking their friendship by confessing his feelings.**

**Seems like this chappie is a New Year gift for my lovely fans ^_^ Happy New Year!**

**So, how was your xmas? Mine was quite peaceful, for once xD **

**I was happy with my gifts, especially the cash. I used to play World of Warcraft like crazy (was completely addicted to it). Thing is, I simply _mentioned _the Cataclysm expansion and I got it.. o.0 I wasn't planning to continue playing it tbh, but I guess I'm going to have to now.., someday :P I blame my bff, she is still really obsessed with that game. She even stayed over at my place to buy Cataclysm first thing in the morning and skipped school for a day to install and play it xD I suppose there are lots of people like that though. **

**Other than that, my mind hasn't been into writing as much as it is usually, because of my life turning into something of an annoying soap opera xD But it's just temporary stuff I guess.. Things will most likely return to my idea of normal soon enough.**

**I'd like to point out that that I've written another oneshot (a short one this time), just in case anyone would become bored enough to read it. It's about Itachi, one of my favorite Naruto characters :D**

**Now for the stuff you guys might be interested in... **

**That Sasuke fangirl lied a little to Sakura by saying that Naruto 'kept asking', cause he only had to ask once for them to give that information away. **

**I actually wasn't going to have Sasuke confess his feelings quite yet, but seems like the story just took a turn, hm? What do you people think about that? Is it good? Bad? Am I rushing things? I promise I'll try not to rush their relationship. Reaching 'happily ever after' will be a long process for these two, mainly cause of their pasts.**

**As you might have noticed, I've changed the summary to match the story better. I wrote the first one according to what I thought the story would be like, but it just didn't fit that well imo.**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/alerted! ****Hell, I'm grateful to you just for reading the story, although reviews are naturally my favs! ^_^**


	12. Conflicting Hearts

_**Chapter 12: 'Conflicting Hearts'**_

It had been an enjoyable, but also tiring weekend to the students of Konoha High. They had yet two more tourist attractions to visit in the morning before taking the bus home. After Naruto had revealed to Kakashi and Minami what he'd been through, Kakashi had informed the rest of the students that the blond-haired boy was safe and sound and that there was no need to worry. The boy had also convinced his aunt to let him apologize in front of everyone for causing trouble and disturbances on their trip, although it was in no way his fault. He'd been relieved once that had been over with though.

There was another hour until they would be heading out to the Motoyasu bridge for a river tour around Hiroshima. Followed by that, they were going to spend a few hours of free time in Hondori street, under the conditions that the students would make sure not to get lost, as well as meet up with their teachers afterwards at the designed time and place.

Before that though, Kakashi and Minami had pulled Naruto aside to have him help them in finding out the names of the girls who had kidnapped him by describing what they looked like.

- It's weird.. I've never seen them before and they just appeared out of nowhere. One of them was tall, scary and had long, bright hair. The first girl I saw was a bit shorter than me with brown hair.. If I remember right.., there was another brunette too and the last one had short, black hair. I just know they're not in my class. That's all I can say, he explained with a shrug at the end.

- Hmm.., Kakashi mumbled, scratching his mask-covered chin and glancing towards the diner, where the rest of the students were seated.

- Seems like we're going to have to have a talk with Haruno-san and Yamanaka-san before we leave, Minami commented, voice conveying her disappointment in the girls' behavior.

- You're right. Let's get them to reveal their names right away. Surely, those two would know who the other four are. We should also assure them that there will be consequences for their actions, Kakashi replied grimly, pausing as he shifted his gaze to the teenager in front of him.  
- Uzumaki-kun, you can go have breakfast now. Your aunt and I will take care of the rest, so don't worry, he finished, smiling.

Naruto looked at him, hesitating for a brief second, before nodding and walking off to join his friends. Minami watched him leave, a sad frown covering her features.

- He still seems a bit shaken up. Poor thing, it must have been awful, she said sympathetically.

Kakashi remained silent for a moment, following her gaze.

- Well, shall we go find Haruno and Yamanaka then? he asked eventually, facing the woman.

- Hai, she responded, smiling to rid of the sudden wave of sadness that had swept over her.

Meanwhile, Naruto took a seat opposite of Kiba in the diner, not having spotted Sasuke anywhere and also feeling too confused to approach him quite yet. He was still processing what his best friend had told him the night before, but tried not to think of it too much, so as to keep up his carefree facàde.

- There you are Uzumaki! You never told us where the hell you went! Now come on, spit it out! the dog-lover demanded, eyes practically glittering with eagerness to hear the story.

The rest of the guys seemed curious as well, some more than others. Lee was staring even more expectantly than Kiba at him.

The blonde scratched his cheek, grinning awkwardly. He had dreaded this situation, for he didn't want to make Sasuke appear bad, but he knew he wasn't a very good liar, so naturally, his friends would see through a half truth and keep pressuring him to reveal more.

- How do I say it.. Umm.. You know those girls that hate me, right? he began with a question.

- Yeah, because of Uchiha, right? Chouji confirmed in between eating breakfast.

The others nodded, urging him to continue.

- Yep.. They sort of.. found this weird, hidden basement in the kitchen and decided it was a good idea to leave me in there..

The listeners gasped and Naruto drew in a breath.

- I couldn't really do anything, since there were four fan girls and two of them were strong as bulls. I tried to get out.. That didn't go well, since the hatch was way too heavy to open from the inside. They also put a gag on my mouth, so that's why you couldn't hear me when you were in the kitchen. But I heard you curse, Inuzuka.

The other boys gaped in disbelief, not having expected such a thing to happen outside of movies. Shikamaru was the first one to pull himself together.

- Why did they do that? he inquired, even though he had his suspicions.

The blonde's head slumped.

- Haruno was the one who started it. I don't know exactly why, just that it had something to do with Sa.. Uchiha.  
- But he was the one who saved me, so you shouldn't think badly of him, he was quick to add when he saw the looks his friends were giving him.

Chouji nearly choked on his food.

_- That _Uchiha saved you? Kiba exclaimed, standing up automatically and gaining the attention of the other occupants of the room.

- Shh! Not so loud, you're making a scene, you idiot! Naruto hissed.

The Inuzuka sat back down, calming himself. In mere seconds, the spell was broken and the unwanted onlookers were back to talking among themselves.

- Maybe he isn't as bad as he seems then, Uchiha.., Shikamaru mused as he repeatedly poked a fork into his breakfast in a gesture of boredom.

- That's what I've been trying to tell you guys, but you just didn't believe me, Naruto stated irritably, crossing his arms.

The others looked down in slight shame.

- Where is he now anyway? Sai asked, fixing his gaze on Naruto.

His classmates looked at the pale boy, eyes widening a little as they were not quite used to him ever asking questions, and most of them pondering whether some things actually managed to intrigue the unbelievably stoic boy.

The blonde teen shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

- Who knows.. I haven't seen him since I left the room this morning.

- Uzumaki-kun, can I ask something? Lee, who had been strangely quiet the whole time, wondered aloud.

- Sure, what is it? Naruto questioned.

- Did something happen between you and Uchiha-kun? You seem sort of.. different today..

He'd asked the question the rest of the blonde's friends had wondered about ever since their friend had returned. Lee just happened to be the only one who was decent enough at dealing with emotional matters.

Naruto stared at him, all kinds of emotions flashing through his blue eyes at the question, alerting the rest of the boys, who exchanged worried glances.

- N-No.. I'm just a little tired, that's all. Nothing happened, he replied, trying to sound cheery as he grinned as widely as usual, though, the grin never reached his eyes.

None of them really believed the excuse, but decided not to push it further. If he didn't want to discuss the painful subject, whatever it was, they were unwilling to force it out of him.

- Okay, if you say so. But don't hesitate to talk to me if there's something on your mind, Lee offered, smiling kindly.

Naruto waved his hand in a dismissive manner, a thankful smile temporarily crossing his features as he paid the pot-haired boy a glance.

They continued eating their breakfast in silence, until Lee changed the subject into lighter things, such as hobbies or school clubs and the rest of them eventually joined in on the new conversation, Naruto rather absently.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

The raven-haired teen had woken once the door to his and Naruto's dorm room had been shut. He'd hauled himself up, rubbing his sleep-filled eyes. Then, everything from the day before had come back to him, causing his unclenched knuckles to fall to his knees, eyes widening a little at the foolish choice he'd made while being wrapped up in emotions.

He leaned forward to support on his elbows, frowning behind the hands that covered his face.

"Why did I tell him that? Why? Why have I become so stupid! He's going to want to avoid me all over again.. I should have been satisfied just being his friend, but no, I just had to go and ruin everything and confuse him all the more.. I'm the worst!" he cursed himself.

With a heavy sigh, he lowered his hands, preventing them from blocking out the tiny bit of light that illuminated the yet dark room. He stared at the large, curtain-covered window across the place, eyes dulled with pain.

In the past, he'd been content with just having his dear older brother as company. His parents loved both of them, he knew, but they had always been so focused on Itachi.. Everything had been about him. Sasuke hadn't minded it back then, though, the last few years, when he'd been forced to live without his brother, had been excruciatingly lonely to him, with his mother constantly busying herself, doing anything to stay out of his way most of the time, thinking that was what he wanted, and his father being even more preoccupied than before. The youngest Uchiha was, needless to say, never one to complain openly in front of his family. He didn't want to disappoint them by being needy, so he let them be, let them do whatever they wanted and kept up the pretense of enjoying solitude above everything. He was an Uchiha after all, why would he need other people? Of course, he liked to have plenty of alone time, but he wasn't happy always being left outside. In school, he was one of the most popular students, if not _the_ most popular student, though, that was not what he wanted either. Popularity was such a nuisance to him, it always had been and always would be, because it made most people even more distant, and the fan girls weren't helping his situation in the least.

What was it that he wanted then? He'd asked himself that particular question for over two years, never understanding what the emptiness he felt had been caused by. At first, he'd suspected that all he wanted was for one, single relationship to work properly, however, he'd soon realized that wasn't quite the case. Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. He had quite a friendly relationship with the Uchiha house maid, Shizune, even though he knew it wasn't the same as being close to people of his own age. He really appreciated Shizune and enjoyed her presence, but she didn't fill the gap in his heart.

Then, he'd met Naruto, the one who had let him discover the joy of having a true friend, someone to joke around and laugh with, someone to walk alongside, someone to comfort in the bad moments of his life, someone to care for and love.., even someone to argue with and still feel attached to. That was exactly what he'd been seeking for a long time and he finally realized it.

What he'd had with the blonde boy had been something similar to the brotherly attachment he'd had to Itachi, but had grown even bigger than that, slowly, without his knowledge, developing into feelings of love that weren't considered 'normal' for a boy to feel towards another boy.

Now that Naruto knew the truth, the raven presumed that he was shocked and disgusted with the boy he'd thought of merely as a friend. Even though there had been clear hints, the blue-eyed boy had chosen to ignore them and become even more oblivious than he already was. That really said something, Sasuke discerned, biting his lips in frustration as he kept staring blankly ahead.

"I can't face him. I can't stand looking into his eyes almost every day, seeing disgust and possibly, even worse, pity. Not his, anyone's but his."

He stood up and went to get dressed into a pair of loose jeans and a dark blue hoodie. Combing a hand through his black hair, he let out another sigh.

He wasn't in the mood to eat breakfast, which was why he decided to skip it and simply wait for the day to be over so that he could go home and brood over his mistake. Although he knew it wasn't good to over think things, he felt that he really needed to do so this time. He had to figure out a way to make Naruto still _want _to be friends with him. He knew he couldn't turn back time and take back the confession, though, he was also aware that his blonde crush would not abandon him, since, after their first 'argument', they'd sworn that no matter what happened, they'd stay friends. But he didn't want the boy to feel as if it was a _duty _to hang around him. Obviously, Naruto would be just about as uncomfortable around Sasuke as the raven would be around him and the blonde especially liked to escape uncomfortable situations. Sasuke supposed that they would feel utterly awkward in each other's presences, but he couldn't live contently without Naruto as, ever since they had become friends, the blue-eyed boy had been his source of happiness, his light and hope.

But perhaps he could distance himself just for a little while? Not completely, of course, though, just a bit. A little bit of time to let both his own heart and Naruto's mind calm down couldn't hurt, right? In the mean time, he could figure out a way to somewhat smooth things over and return their relationship to something akin to what they'd had before. Yes, that was it. Sasuke smiled as he was sure he had come up with the best temporary solution, for both of their sakes.

"Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't such a bad thing to do after all, to confess.. At least he knows the truth now.., so I don't have to hide that anymore. I just hope that he, overtime, will be able to see me in a similar manner as he has done before."

He knitted his brows together, an unreadable look shadowing his eyes and a tiny smile curving his lips.

- Naruto.., he breathed out gently to no one in particular, still not fully used to the first name calling, but quickly adapting and strangely enough feeling as if it wasn't all that unnatural.

For the rest of the trip, Sasuke decided to settle for acting as normal as possible around his friend. His plan of putting distance between himself and Naruto wouldn't take action before they returned to Konoha, since he didn't want to cause the blonde trouble by making his friends suspicious, at least not yet. He wanted to wholly avoid such difficulties, he really did, though, he knew that many of their classmates were openly curious by nature and didn't know how to stay out of their friends' businesses, nor did they attempt to do so. For that reason, interventions were inevitable, but Sasuke supposed that the blonde was the one who would have to deal with the prying eyes and not him. Thinking about it did make him feel bad of course, however, it was just temporary. He wouldn't stick so close to Naruto before he was certain that the boy was once again warming up to him, relaxing and realizing that he wasn't going to act on his feelings anew.

He was lying on his bed, reading a half-boring book after a couple of failed efforts of trying to get some more shut eye, when the door opened, slightly startling the raven.

Peeking over the cover of the book, his eyes met a pair of blue, glass-covered orbs.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto was at a complete loss for words. He had been expecting to see his friend sleeping, since he hadn't come out to eat breakfast. Apparently, that wasn't how things were, he realized as he saw the fully awake gaze the other boy was sending him.

- Uh.. M-Morning, Sasuke, he stammered eventually, looking away.

The Uchiha stared at him for a couple of seconds longer, before returning his attention to the book he was reading, his reply coming in the form of a grunt.

- Aren't you going to eat? The food lady is cleaning off the tables and starting to throw away the leftovers, the blonde inquired, struggling to keep his voice normal.

- I'm not hungry, Sasuke replied firmly, leaving no space to argue.

Naruto sweat dropped.

"He really hates me now, doesn't he? For not even being able to give him a clear response yesterday. I'm so horrible, how can he even like me?" he scolded himself silently, gritting his teeth as he walked across the room to push aside the curtains covering the window, and headed over to his own bed, where he sat down, facing the scenery outside of the window with a depressed sigh.

The silence that followed felt choking. Naruto really wanted to say something, but he just didn't know what. He was well aware that it wasn't a moment fit for jokes or smalltalk. That sort of thing would just have irritated the raven further, so what was he to do? Go away and let the other be?

Lowering his gaze to the side, he accidentally caught sight of the clock he'd placed on his bedside table when they'd first arrived. He absently gazed at it for a moment, unseeing, and thought back to when he'd first met Sasuke. Although the blonde's lips were smiling, his eyes were blank, devoid of emotion.

_~ Flashback ~_

_A blonde boy, holding an unintelligible map in his hands, glanced around confusedly, scratching his head. For the last half an hour, he had been walking in circles, trying to locate his newly assigned classroom. Thinking back on what his aunt had told him before she'd hurried off to teach her own students, he was absolutely assured that the place he was looking for was supposed to be on the second floor, but where? He had no idea and it certainly didn't help that he was lousy at reading maps. _

"_Aww, dammit! I'll just try walking straight ahead here and..," he thought, keeping his eyes on the map as he resumed his walk. _

_He had definitely not expected to literally bump into someone in a seemingly empty corridor, which he did anyway. Startled, he looked up from where he'd landed on the floor, rubbing his butt and wincing. The person staring back at him had spiky, black hair and a pair of ice cold, onyx eyes. The unknown boy only returned the gaze for a few seconds though, but it still made a shiver run down the other's spine. The way the raven roughly began gathering papers that had been shattered all around the place clearly indicated that he was beyond annoyed with the collision. Naruto felt a bit flustered at his own clumsiness. _

_- S-sorry, I didn't see you, he stuttered, looking down at the map in his hand to avoid those cold eyes._

_- Hn. Just watch where you're going. Did you think I'd be able to see you when my line of sight was filled with a stack of papers? Never mind, don't answer that," the raven replied irritably, not caring to face the other boy._

_- Hey! I said I didn't see you either! No need to be so rude about it! the glasses boy exclaimed, fuming._

_The only response he got was a raised eyebrow, which only irritated him more. But he forced himself to calm down and not snap again, as he didn't actually want to get on the bad side of anyone on the first day in his new school._

_- Fine then. Let me help you out, he offered, beginning to assist the equally annoyed as annoying boy in picking up papers._

_- No need to, the raven stated coldly without sparing the other boy another glance, obviously not wanting any help._

_The blonde stood up with a snort, crossing his arms and pouting._

_- Suit yourself then, he said childishly._

_Again came no response. The raven was beginning to make Naruto feel uneasy. He hadn't met such an aloof person before, so he didn't know how to handle him. Though there was something he wanted to ask, he just couldn't figure out how to formulate his words._

_He stared at the raven for a long moment, until he too stood up, holding onto the gathered papers. The black-haired boy looked the blonde over, a puzzled frown covering his features._

_- What? Naruto inquired, feeling quite uncomfortable under the other's gaze._

_- I think that's my question. What are you still doing here? the raven asked._

_The blue-eyed boy blushed a little, averting his eyes._

_- Umm.. I'm new here, so I just wanted to ask you if you know where classroom... 9 on this floor is?_

"_Jeez, I must seem so weird for waiting to ask until now. I hope he won't say anything about it."_

_The other boy's eyes widened briefly at the question, but quickly returned to their original state._

_- That's where I'm going. Just follow me, he said stoically then, beginning to walk off in the opposite direction of the one Naruto had been heading for earlier._

_The blonde let out a sigh of relief, before hurriedly trailing after the strange raven, who he hoped he wouldn't have any other unpleasant encounters with.._

_~ Flashback End ~_

Naruto was shaken out of his reverie when his eyes became focused again and he spotted the time the clock was pointing towards. For a few seconds, he panicked, thinking it was late and forgetting that there were another ten minutes before he and his roommate would be leaving with the rest. When he remembered the time of departure that Kakashi had announced, as well as the fact that most of his and the raven's things were already packed, he shook his head a bit at his own silliness. Then he frowned, thinking back on the flashback he'd experienced only seconds earlier.

"That's weird.. Why did I not recall that before just now?" he pondered, eyebrows contracting. "Hmm.. I guess so much happened in such a short time that I just forgot about having ever spoken to Sasuke before that time he walked up to me.. I really didn't think I had spoken to him at all, even though he was the first person in school I ever talked to! That sort of makes me want to laugh. Did he forget too, or was that why he would always glare at me like that? Not that I did anything seriously bad to him.. before yesterday."

The blonde's face unwillingly twisted into one of pain and guilt as he turned his head to spare the one who plagued his thoughts a glance. Sasuke was lying on the side, back towards the blonde. For the second time that day, Naruto wondered if his friend was sleeping or not. No sounds could be heard. The room was as quiet as a grave. Those thoughts made the slightly younger teen shiver a little.

After pulling himself together, he decided to break the silence.

- Ano.. Sasuke? Are you awake? he questioned anxiously.

He started a bit when the raven turned over to face him as he hadn't quite been expecting him to be awake. After all, the boy hadn't moved in the slightest for the past couple of minutes.

- Hn? the Uchiha grunted, cocking an eyebrow.

- I just wanted to tell you that we're supposed to be outside in about.. 7 minutes or so. I should have told you earlier, but I forgot.., the blonde mumbled, absently scratching his cheek.

Sasuke smirked, surprising the other boy further.

- It's alright, dobe, he teased.

Naruto just stared disbelievingly at him, mouth hanging open like that of a fish, or an idiot. He'd presumed the raven was angry and upset with him, but now.., now he just didn't know what to think and it really showed on his face.

He watched as Sasuke sat up and stretched his limbs. The next thing the spaced out boy knew was that the raven was in front of him, lightly tapping him over the head. Naruto looked up with confusion written all over his features, blinking.

- Well? Sasuke inquired.

- Wh-What?

- Shall we go then? came the bored response, followed by rolling of dark eyes, a familiar expression the blonde could comprehend.

- Yeah, sure! he burst out, jumping off the bed and hurriedly taking his clock, putting it in his bag and trailing after the other boy, who hadn't exactly stayed to wait for a reply, with bag in hand.

"He's not mad then? Was I worrying for nothing..? I hope so.."

During the whole river tour, Naruto spent his time secretly observing his best friend, trying to spot any differences in his behavior. But Sasuke was his usual aloof self, occasionally ignoring the fan girls and the dirty looks the guys were sending him due to all the female attention he received.

Once they arrived at Hondori street, the blonde shrugged to himself, deciding to stop his pointless ministrations and simply enjoy the time he had left in Hiroshima. Besides, what way could possibly be more effective to find out if Sasuke was angry than to actually talk to the guy? Especially as he wasn't the type to show emotions in public.

- Inuzuka, I'm going to walk with Sasuke for a bit, okay? he said, turning to the dog-loving boy.

Kiba raised his hand in an uncaring wave, grinning.

- Sure, go ahe... Wait, what? Sasuke? As in _the Uchiha_?

He, as well as Shikamaru and Chouji who were walking just behind them, stared at Naruto with wide eyes and the grin on Kiba's face quickly faded.

The boy in the center of attention scratched the back of his head, sweat dropping.

- Yeah.. Um, it was something of a joke.. He called me by first name to.. umm.. irritate me and I did the same. Since then, I've been saying Sasuke instead of Uchiha. So anyway, I'll see you guys later. Ja ne! he explained quickly, then took off without watching their reactions to the small piece of news.

- Hey, Sasuke! Wait up! he said loudly, waving as he approached said boy from behind.

The Uchiha stopped walking and casually turned around to wait for the blonde, who quickly came to a stop in front of him.

"No signs of fan girls, lucky!" Naruto thought in relief as he let his eyes wander until they spotted a bunch of excited girls walking into a mall.

- So, where are you planning to go? he asked curiously, looking at the raven.

- Don't know.. I was just walking around, I guess, Sasuke replied with a shrug, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

- I'll go with you then.. Oh I know what we can do! Let's check if there are any nice game arcades around here! Naruto exclaimed cheerily, taking hold of the other boy's arm and beginning to drag him through Hondori street, skillfully avoiding to bump into any of the people crowding the street.

- What about your other friends? Sasuke questioned, though, didn't actually resist being dragged around, as he had become used to it.

- Forget them, they'll manage!

After half an hour of searching, or in Sasuke's case following his blonde friend, they came across a small game arcade, where they spent a couple of hours playing all the games they could find. Naruto was determined to beat the other boy, which he didn't do even once. He was really relieved though, to realize that the raven wasn't actually upset with him and he finally figured out that he hadn't actually been expected to return the confession, or even reply to it. Sasuke had probably not even planned to confess in the first place, so they could still be friends like before and maybe, if he was lucky, Sasuke's feelings would fade overtime and he'd come to see Naruto the same way the blonde saw him. Well, that was just Naruto's positive way of thinking though, which only part of him believed in. He simply liked being optimistic.

Just as they were exiting the arcade, Naruto's cellphone began ringing. Fishing out the object from his pocket, he spent a few seconds watching the name flashing on the screen, before picking up.

- What's up, Inuzuka?

- Dude, we ran into Kakashi-sensei and he said he wants to talk with you about something, Kiba spoke on the other line.

- Right now? Where are you at?

- Doesn't matter. Sensei told me to say he's going to wait outside of that mall we passed by when we got here. Do you remember it?

- Yeah, I think so.

- Good. So, what do you think that's all about?

- Hmm.. It has to be about what happened yesterday..

- Oh, that.. Well, good luck with that Uzumaki, and I'll talk to you later.

- Yeah, bye.

He put the phone back in his pocket and turned to face Sasuke, who was frowning at him.

- What was that about?

"Right.. I might need to make sure Sasuke doesn't come with, just in case he'll hear something he isn't supposed to know.."

- Um.. Inuzuka said I have to go talk to Kakashi-sensei for a bit right now, so let's meet up again afterwards, alright? Naruto explained, grinning in a carefree manner so as to not make the other boy suspicious.

Sasuke looked as if he was going to protest, but, apparently, decided against it, and instead turned his back to the blonde with a shrug.

- Sure, go ahead. Talk to you later Naruto, he said casually and began walking off in the opposite direction that his friend was about to head for, making Naruto wonder how on earth he could know what way he was intending to go.

"That's Sasuke for you," he thought, smiling, before going to find Kakashi.

Once he arrived at the outside of that said mall, it wasn't hard to spot the white-haired man standing just beside the electronic doors, but what surprised the blonde was seeing three familiar girls talking to him. He began feeling hesitant while walking up to them, but knew the girls had a few things they needed to say to him, and the sooner the better.

Kakashi was the first one to notice him, which was evident with the curving of the eye and the girls, who had stopped talking, having their backs towards Naruto. The teacher lifted a hand in the air, waving the boy over to join them, who complied, keeping his head low as he approached the girls.

- Hello Uzumaki-kun. I'm glad you could take the time to come, Kakashi said.

The girls, Sakura, Ino and the brunette with green eyes, tensed up noticeably upon hearing him address the boy, though, none of them turned around to face said boy.

- Hi sensei.. Umm.. What did you want to talk about? Naruto questioned, glancing somewhat nervously between the teacher and the away-turned female students.

- I believe miss Haruno, miss Yamanaka and miss Asahi here have something to tell you, Kakashi replied, keeping his gaze firmly on the boy, then continued: - Just now, we were discussing the fact that the other three girls aren't here, isn't that right? he chirped, glancing between the three uncomfortable girls, a fake smile plastered onto his less than half-visible face.

They nodded in response and an unpleasant silence took over, until Sakura nudged Ino's arm, turning to face Naruto, Ino and then the girl named Asahi hesitantly following her example.

- We were just saying that we're not sure where Hirose, Kawasaki and Nishihara are, but at least us tree showed up, Sakura mumbled as she looked at the ground, voice sounding slightly regretful.

The other four glanced at her with varying expressions. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if the situation felt even more uncomfortable to them than to him and somehow, he doubted it.

- And what were you going to tell him? Kakashi inquired sternly, although he already knew the answer, his gaze never leaving the pink-haired girl.

She finally looked up at the blonde boy and he was surprised to see a glint of guilt in those green eyes. The other two also faced him with the same look.

Sakura took a step forward, closed her eyes and bowed her head down.

- We're sorry, it won't happen again! she exclaimed.

Naruto blinked, not knowing how to react the the sudden apology.

"Woah.. That came as a shock. It's starting to feel like a habit, just standing still and keeping quiet.. But what do I say in this kind of situation?"

Ino and Asahi also bowed their heads, while Sakura stayed in the same position, not moving an inch.

- W-we're sorry, Ino and Asahi mumbled simultaneously, glancing uncertainly at their friend.

- That's good, Kakashi commented, smiling at the three.

- Now, you should also tell him the full reason you did what you did, don't you think girls?

The kaichou opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head to properly look at the boy in question. Her mouth opened a few times as she attempted to speak, but she hesitated, averting her eyes.

- That is.. We-

"It's hard to believe this girl is actually Sakura Haruno.. She looks so.. insecure and all other times I've seen her, she's been full of confidence.."

After spotting her leader's troubled face, Asahi placed her full attention on Naruto.

- What she's trying to say is that it had to do with Uchiha-kun, but you already know that. Kaichou only wanted to talk to him and possibly become closer to him while you weren't around and since you seem to be the only person he actually gets along well with, Kaichou also thought it would be a good idea to...

The brunette glanced at Sakura, silently asking for her approval to continue, to which she received a forlorn nod. She then returned her attention to the boy.

- She thought it would be a good idea to make you appear bad to Sasuke and make herself seem extremely kind and helpful, so that he would take an interest in her instead, Asahi explained.

- But she regrets it of course! We all do, Ino filled in quickly.

Kakashi, who had been listening intently the whole time, rubbed his mask-covered chin in thought before speaking.

- Hmm.. Why is it that you expected Uzumaki-kun not to tell anyone about all this? he questioned the three girls, seemingly more out of curiosity than anything else.

Naruto, on the other hand, felt like something of an outsider in the whole conversation, even though it partly centered around him, yet he kept his wary gaze on Sakura, observing her reactions.

The kaichou finally deemed the time fit for her to speak up again, but as she did, she stared at the ground.

- I.. I figured he would keep quiet if we let him have anything he wanted.., like a promise that we would leave him alone from now on and not interfere in his friendship with Sasuke-kun, or anything else he would've wanted.. I was sure he wouldn't dare oppose us by telling anyone, especially not Sasuke-kun, and I still think so, but, as you know, our plans were ruined by Uzumaki somehow being found before they made it back.

- So that's how it was.., Naruto mumbled, mostly to himself.

Sakura was startled at hearing his voice. Her head snapped up and, at last, the blonde got a second look into her eyes. This time he also couldn't help but be a little taken aback by the fact that they truly did reflect pure guilt and shame, but not as much as the first time, since he now could hear the regret in her voice.

- Uzumaki.. I'm sorry.. I really am. I realize now that it wasn't right of me to do that sort of thing, especially as I'm the kaichou who is supposed to be a good influence. I've caused a lot of trouble with my immaturity and I really regret it. But I don't expect you to forgive me, I just want you to know how sorry I am, she uttered, staring directly into the boy's eyes.

Naruto stared back for a moment, regarding the desperate sincerity directed towards him. Then, he smiled, a small, yet infectious type of smile.

"She actually is sorry.. I never thought that would happen. Maybe she isn't as bad as she seems after all," was the happy thought running through his head.

- It's okay. What's done is done, right? he said, grinning.

The girls' eyes widened and they stared at him as if they were unsure they had just heard correctly.

- You forgive us? Ino asked, gaping.

Naruto blinked and took in the disbelieving look they were giving him, before waving his hand in the air, trying to rid of their doubts.

- Yeah, why not? I don't see a point in being pissed at people who really regret their actions. It's not my thing to do, so stop giving me that look already, he replied, rolling his eyes at how hard they were to convince.

- Oh, okay.. Thanks, Sakura said, still sounding rather surprised, but also relieved.

Kakashi, who had been standing a bit away, approached the teenagers, lightly placing one hand on the kaichou's shoulder. The others switched their attention to the teacher, who looked at Naruto.

- I'm glad you've cleared that up. Uzumaki-kun, you can leave now. I'll have a talk with the girls and we'll see what punishment they are getting for the problems they've caused.

- ..Alright, the boy responded, giving one last, hesitant glance at the girls, before complying.

"Was it okay for me to just leave? They're going to be punished even though I already forgave them.. But they did cause a lot of trouble, not just for me, so I guess it can't be helped," he thought as he walked with no particular aim.

He took his phone out and called his best friend, so that they could meet up again.

For the next two hours, after finding each other, he and Sasuke walked around Hondori street in a leisurely pace, peeping into the different shops that decorated the street and occasionally stopping to buy some souvenirs.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Once they were seated in the bus, ready to go home, Sasuke turned to Naruto, only then remembering something.

- Naruto? he began.

- Yeah? the blonde replied without looking at him, gazing out through the window.

- I was just wondering what you talked about with Kakashi-sensei?

- Oh that.. He had me talk to three of those girls and they apologized. That's about it, Naruto replied nonchalantly, shrugging.

- But you didn't forgive them, right? Sasuke asked carefully, observing the back of his friend's head.

Naruto finally turned to look at him, head slightly tilted.

- Yeah, I did, why not? I mean, they really did regret it and apparently, they're getting some kind of punishment anyway, so what's the use being stubborn and not forgive them? he questioned.

- But they kidnapped you and left you in a cold basement! How can you be so forgiving? The raven demanded, honestly not understanding the way his friend was thinking.

- Calm down Sasuke, it's fine. Let's talk about it some other time, okay? It's annoying here where anyone can hear what we're saying, Naruto said, quickly glancing around.

Sasuke too looked around to see a few pairs of curious eyes watching them. Sighing, he realized that the blonde had a point.

- Fine, some other time.

"Whenever that will be.."

The rest of the bus trip went by without any incidents. Hardly any of the students talked whatsoever as most of them were too exhausted. About half way to Konoha, Sasuke also started feeling tired and had a hard time keeping his eyes open, so he shut them and drifted into dreamworld without checking if Naruto was awake or not.

* * *

**Aww jeez, I've been extra super slow this time****! **

**I blame it mostly on my writer's block. Sure, I _am _a lazy bum, but I really have tried! x_X Sorry to anyone who still reads this story though.**

**Yeah, so.. This chappie pretty much _sucks_, I kinda hate it. It feels so.. pointless, boring and poorly written. I haven't written such a shitty chappie in a while, but what can I do? I felt it was really about time I finished and uploaded it, shitty or not, there are limits to how slow one can be, I suppose. At least I try, ne?**

**That flashback was completely random o_O I dunno where that came from, lol. I guess I just thought it would be cool.. or something like that.**

**I'm not entirely sure what Sakura and the other girls' punishment is going to be, but I have my ideas... So you'll have to wait and see, as usual. **

**And oh em gee, did I just give Sakura a soul and a heart? o_O I think I just did. Originally, I was going to have her be a horrible, selfish bitch, but I guess I'm just not all that into bashing characters too much after all, even if I hate them. I do think that making her evil could be considered as bashing and yes, I do bash her quite a bit, as you've noticed, but I'm about to reduce the Sakura bashing from now on and make her into a tolerable character. I won't have her be a super nice person all of a sudden, but she's definitely not going to be as mean as she has been up to now. She really does have a heart, even in my story. **

**The main reason I don't want Sakura to be too horrible after all is that it would mean I'd have to have her do a lot of bitchy stuff and focus on her too much, which I don't want to do. The story is not only about Naruto, Sasuke and the fan girls, so from now on, I will start to focus less and less on the fan girls and write about other stuff as well. **

**Haha, this situation with Sakura ironically reminds me of the latest Naruto episode, which I watched two days ago. I wrote that part about Sakura looking down and feeling guilty _before _I watched that whole deal about it partly being her fault that Naruto's trying too hard to get Sasuke back and blahblah. Damn, Sai was so right and I was almost beginning to think I was the only one who has noticed how much her goddamned 'promise' is pressuring poor Naru-chan. (See why I hate her? But I'm currently more pissed at Sasuke -_-') Funny that Sai, of all people, would be the one to point it out though ;P And now I'm blabbering, about the anime since I don't keep up with the manga :/**

**In the next chappie, Sasuke's so-called 'plan' to distance himself from Naruto is going to take action, so stay tuned! xD**

**I'm quite excited about my b-day now, since it's in 2 weeks...  
God, I'm obsessed with music. Listening to epicly remixed rock&pop songs ftw.  
Random people are random (and annoying).**

**In any case, I'll work as much as I can on the next chappie. Cya people when it's finished! ^_^**


	13. Moving On And Letting Go

**Chapter 13: _'Moving On And Letting Go'_**

**Sakura's PoV (Yes, really):**

All classes for the day had ended approximately five minutes ago. A week had passed since the trip to Hiroshima and the kaichou of Konoha High was still feeling regretful. What was done was done, she could do naught to take back her actions and repenting caused her to feel worse by the minute. Having been forgiven without deserving it only made the guilt grow deeper. Because of all this, she lost a lot of sleep, but she hardly cared about that. She merely wished for the horrible feeling to vanish into thin air as if it had never been there.

"What was I _thinking? _When did I start letting my feelings for Sasuke-kun control me like that? I've always been an orderly person and now _this. _I think.. Sasuke-kun hates me.. No wonder, I'm such an awful person. I kinda wish the punishment would have been worse.. Like losing my position as the student council pres, or something.."

She walked through the empty corridor, solemnly carrying a mop and a water bucket, ready, though not emotionally, to do her daily task. Briefly she wondered what the four girls who had participated in the kidnapping were forced to do. She only knew that her best friend, Ino, was supposed to be cleaning the toilets that day and Sakura herself was about to mop classroom floors.

With a tired sigh, she opened the door to classroom number five on the first floor, peeping in to check that it was empty, just in case. As she had predicted, it was completely unoccupied. The pink-haired girl went inside and set the bucket down onto the floor, glancing around the room that she'd been told the usual cleaners of the school had vacuum cleaned before going home, leaving the mopping to her on request by Minami Tachibana.

Sakura was expected to clean three classrooms a day for one week, but she wasn't entirely sure what the rest of the girls were to do to make up for the problems they'd been the cause of as she was currently more focused on not disappointing the teachers further. Her reputation among them had already become very tainted, though she still had a chance to make up for it by doing her tasks properly and taking responsibility for her deeds. But what worried her more was the cold glare she was met with every time the Uchiha's eyes locked onto hers. Even though she knew she deserved it, it was almost unbearable.

She still remembered it like it was the day before, the day she'd fallen in love, the first time she'd laid eyes on Sasuke. She had never been one of those girls who believed in 'love at first sight', not before she'd experienced it herself. Having gotten used to being the perfect model student, the subject of love had only ever crossed her mind a few times. She had never really stopped to think about it further. That was until she'd begun high school and coincidentally ended up in the same class as the most popular male of the entire student body.

The whole class had been forced to step up, one at a time, and do a brief presentation of themselves. Since she always was one to sit in the front row, Sakura had been the third student to introduce herself. She remembered having said something along the lines of 'not being able to stand disorder in class and wanting to work for the well-being of her fellow students'. Back then she hadn't realized that she'd sounded strict in some ways. Well, either that or she just hadn't cared. Her memories of the time before she'd met Sasuke had become strangely unclear and she guessed it was because everything that had happened in her life before that time now was insignificant. She'd memorized the events of that day clearly though.

Sasuke had been one of the last students to introduce himself. They were just a few, not-so-well-chosen words, and yet they'd managed to completely change the emerald-eyed girl's life.

_- Sasuke Uchiha. I like peace and quiet. Not intending to join any clubs._

He'd said it using a bored tone of voice, eyes expressionless and hands casually stuffed into his pockets. Sakura had been unable to tear her eyes away from his and her body had frozen in place, brain only able to produce the thought "So.. handsome". Not before she'd felt the blood rush to her cheeks had she realized where she'd been and given her best attempt to compose herself, but the blush had remained on her cheeks for the most part of the day, irritating, embarrassing and confusing her all at the same time. After school had ended, when she'd entered the safety of her homely house that day, she'd rushed straight into her room without announcing her presence and sat down flat onto the floor, back against the closed door. For a long moment, she'd stared at the floor, yet again going through the day in her head and trying to understand what was happening. Her eyes had gone wide once she'd finally identified the reason for her strange behaviour. She, a model student, had fallen _badly _in love at first sight, the first day of high school nonetheless.

The first month, even after having made a friend who was also fairly interested, though not to the point of love, in the Uchiha, the pink-haired girl had had a bit of a hard time to keep up in class, but after getting used to the feeling of being in love and learning to balance it, she'd become the one student all the other studious students looked up to all over again, and that was exactly the way she wanted things to be. She had always been comfortable being a role model.

A small amount of time later, Sakura had been elected as the Student Council President, much to her satisfaction. However, whenever she hadn't busied herself with schoolwork and duties, she'd always thought of Sasuke, wanting to talk to him, but being afraid of the cold treatment he was so known for. At some point though, she'd decided to toughen up and simply try speaking to him. So, she'd started with saying a simple 'hi' to him every day, to which she'd received a response in either the form of a grunt or a murmured 'hello'. Having felt encouraged to continue, she'd begun trying to have full conversations with the boy, but to her disappointment, he'd just walked away or ignored her when she'd talked too much, turning what she'd said into pointless monologues. Yet she hadn't given up quickly. Instead she'd tried any subject she could come up with, watching Sasuke's reactions to words she'd spoken to see if he really wasn't interested in any of it. Even then, she'd failed at gaining the boy's interest and, eventually, he'd completely stopped replying to her questions, viewing her as yet another annoyance with nothing good to say. Sakura had been, needless to say, devastated and depressed for a while. But in the end, since she'd been aware of the fact that Sasuke had been treating the rest of the students in their school in the same cold manner as her, she'd contently given up, or so she'd told herself, and stuck to watching him from afar, all the while protecting him from the clingy fan girls who had difficulties keeping their hands off of him, except sometimes when she hadn't been able to resist the urge to approach and speak a few innocent words to the boy herself, still knowing he didn't care about anything she or any other girl said. It had simply become a habit, one many other girls shared with her.

Overtime, she and the rest of the girls who liked Sasuke had become accustomed to the cold treatment and simply accepted that he didn't care. Plenty of them had still attempted to keep up the clingyness though, but Sakura had always been there to stop them from bothering him too much, somewhere in the depths of her heart wishing that he'd appreciated her, even if just a little, for doing so.

Things had changed when Naruto Uzumaki had showed up. All of a sudden, Sasuke had begun showing hints of emotions and it had brought a wave of discomfort and worry among his fan girls, who had all easily decided to hate the transfer student. At the beginning, the blonde had only seemed to irritate the raven for some reason, but it had been enough for him to become hated by the hardcore fans. Sasuke changing due to Naruto had obviously been completely unexpected. The fan girls had grown incredibly jealous of the glasses boy, since none of them had ever managed to get any sort of reaction from the Uchiha even though they'd all been around longer than Naruto had. The change in Sasuke wasn't noticeable at first. He'd still acted similarly around the girls, but he'd also been seen hanging out a few times with the guys because of the blonde. In fact, Naruto's friendly nature and outgoing personality somehow made Sasuke pay even less attention to the girls, resulting in him having become more and more untouchable and distant, which had angered them to no end, especially Sakura, who'd felt as if the friendly relationship between the love of her life and Naruto had been stealing away any chances, however small, she'd had with the Uchiha. Thus, she'd once again become determined to make Sasuke take an interest in her, and that's when she'd stopped acting like the respectable kaichou and turned into an immature brat who'd have done nearly anything to rid of the one standing in her way.

She had been, for a reason she still didn't even understand herself, completely filled with rage and jealousy directed towards a kind-hearted, forgiving boy who hadn't really ever done anything bad to her on purpose, and was now facing all the consequences for her actions, psychically as well as emotionally.

Lifelessly scrubbing a classroom floor, she couldn't help going through all the things that had led her there over and over in her head, cringing as she thought of some of the cruel things she'd said to the blonde boy.

"I should just give up. There's no way Sasuke-kun will ever like me after what I did to his friend and I've known the truth for a long time.. It's time to finally face the fact that he isn't interested in girls, or if he is he's already got someone outside of school that he likes..."

The kaichou felt a pang in her heart and a lump in her throat at the possibility of her crush being in love with someone else.

"But I've never seen him willingly walk with a girl and I've even followed him a few times.. He just isn't interested. That's got to be it," she desperately tried to assure herself, before she sighed, putting the mop down and wiping her forehead.

"I'm so pathetic, really."

She let out a small, dry laugh.

"Okay, I give up. Sasuke-kun is someone untouchable. All I can do is to act as a shield for him and protect him from the girls who are too clingy. It's fine, it's all I was doing before Uzumaki showed up anyway and it worked fine. I'm just going to finish cleaning and go find Ino, see if she wants to do something after we're done."

With newfound energy, she resumed the scrubbing, quietly humming to herself.

The next day, Sakura was already happily, though tiredly, back to doing student council work and preventing fan girls from jumping the Uchiha. After cleaning, she'd stayed over at Ino's house, and they'd stayed up to talk about Sasuke all night, coming to the conclusion that they were still young girls and there was more fish in the sea, as people say. Being in love was one thing, desperation was another, and the pink-haired girl felt that she'd already crossed the line between the two. She'd decided that it was alright to admire Sasuke from afar, but her life, especially as she was the kaichou, could not and _would not _revolve around him any longer. She was going to put a stop to the immature behaviour and move on. It wasn't as if she was heartbroken anyway, just disappointed, but more so in herself for what she'd done than the fact that Sasuke wasn't interested in her. She wasn't stupid after all, she'd suspected right from the start that it was no use chasing him, and now she saw it clearly.

- Sakuraa! Ino called from the door of the student council room, snapping her out of her thoughts.

- Comiing! she shot back and stood up, collecting papers into a neat pile.

Walking up to her friend, Sakura smiled.

- Let's eat in here today, she suggested as she exited the room, successfully causing the blonde to look at her in shock.

- Really? That's a first, Ino stated in pleasant surprise, hurrying to catch up with the other girl.

- Yeah well, a fresh start calls for something new, don't you think? the kaichou replied, smiling brightly at her friend as the two of them continued on their way to the diner.

Ino responded by genuinely returning the smile, feeling relieved that Sakura was finally becoming her old self again and getting rid of the depression that didn't suit her in the least.

- But I still don't understand why I was so jealous of Uzumaki.. I mean, he's a guy, not a girlfriend Sasuke-kun is showing off, so.. Weird, isn't it? Sakura mused, staring distantly ahead.

- Nah, lots of girls feel the same way you did. It's like...

Ino thoughtfully brushed her long bangs aside, studying her friend's puzzled expression.

- .. that strange bond he formed with Uzumaki and graduating seems the be the only reasons Sasuke-kun even attends school.. I guess you were jealous because you knew you could never be as important as Uzumaki's friendship is to him..? I mean, it's obvious that he has some kind of a soft spot for that megane-kun for some weird reason us 'regular' people can't really understand, and us girls have yet to get _any_ kind of reaction out of him without acting stupid, ne?

Sakura turned to look at her.

- You say some really good stuff sometimes, Ino, she commented in all seriousness.

- 'Course, Ino replied, beaming proudly.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Shifting the heavy bag on his shoulder, the raven skillfully evaded all the usual looks students in the corridor gave him as he headed over to his locker. What he hadn't anticipated was to be tackled from behind by a blond blur, and, as a result, he found himself ungracefully sprawled on the floor, said blonde looking down at him with a cheeky grin. Before getting further humiliated in front of everyone, he stood up and brushed off his uniform pants, feeling slightly indignant.

- Too slow! Naruto teased, still grinning.

- Naruto.., Sasuke grumbled, eyebrows twitching.

The blonde's grin finally faded when he saw the look his friend was sending him.

- H-hey.. I was just kidding Sasuke! he defended himself, sweat dropping.

Sasuke stared at him for a while, observing the way his face kept getting paler and paler the more he stared, until, eventually, he couldn't help bursting into laughter.

- You should've seen yourself just now! Did you think I was gonna hit you or something? he laughed, ignoring the few other students who were still present to see him acting out of character.

Naruto blinked, before blushing in embarrassment.

- Mou, stupid Sasuke! he pouted, looking away.

- Serves you right for doing that, Sasuke pointed out after he managed to stop laughing, opening his locker to throw his bag in and take out a book.

Glancing to the side, he noticed that Naruto wasn't carrying anything.

- Aren't you gonna go get your book? English class starts soon, you know? he questioned.

- About that.. Umm.. I forgot it at home, the blonde explained, scratching the back of his head.

The raven rolled his eyes.

- That's just like you. So I bet you want me to share mine then?

Naruto clasped his hands, staring at him with big, irresistibly sparkly eyes.

Sasuke cringed.

"He knows I can't resist that kinda look. Keeping distance between us is really much harder than I thought it would be.."

- Alright, alright, come on then, he sighed.

- Thanks! Naruto exclaimed happily, trailing after the other boy.

By now, the rest of the students had already made their way into their respective classrooms.

_**After class...**_

Naruto yawned and turned to his raven-haired friend.

- What do we have now?

- Math, Sasuke responded, gathering his things and standing up to leave.

"I need to stop being so close to him. He might seem okay with everything right now, but I think he just doesn't realize how serious I was and is telling himself I'll get over him overtime and everything's going to be fine if we just stay friends.. He's wrong.."

- Sasuke? What's wrong? Naruto inquired, staring worriedly at him.

Only then did Sasuke realize he'd frozen in place while dealing with his inner turmoil.

- Ah.. Um.. Nothing. I'm going ahead, okay? he said and hurried off without giving the blonde a chance to reply, silently cursing himself for seeming so suspicious.

"Well.. Now he definitely knows things aren't as good as he thought they were. Maybe he'll take the hint soon and realize that we both need some time off from each other.. Even though I'll honestly miss our silly little fights.."

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto watched his friend leave, then lowered his gaze, letting a shadow form in his usually sky blue eyes.

"He's acting weird after all.. Must be feeling awkward around me. Can't blame him though... I guess I'll have to give him as much privacy as he needs.. He might be back to normal tomorrow so.. I'll just have to deal with it for now. Hmm.. I wonder where those guys went..?"

- Hey Uzumaki, I just saw Uchiha by himself, so I figured you pissed him off in some way or another. It wasn't hard to find you though, you know.

Naruto looked up, seeing Shikamaru leaning against the wall on the other side of the classroom, a suspicious frown wrinkling his glabella.

- Erm.. Yeah, you could say that.., Naruto responded, trying to laugh it off.

- But you don't wanna talk about it, am I right? Shikamaru questioned seriously, fixing his sharp gaze upon the other boy.

- R-right, the blonde mumbled.

- You know, you're welcome to hang out with the rest of us anytime you want, since we're friends and all, but lately even guys like Inuzuka and.. Sai have started noticing how odd you've been acting. Are you really sure it's a good idea to keep everything hidden from us? You don't have to presume that we can't handle the truth, whatever that may be. I came to think of something and I realized that we don't actually know much about you, Uzumaki. You just sort of.. showed up out of nowhere and made friends with all the guys. I've been fine with it until just recently, but it's different when you make us worry about you without having the slightest clue as to what you're dealing with.. That's not how friends should act, don't you agree?

Naruto stared with wide eyes as the other boy spoke, guilt welling up inside of him.

"Oh shit.. I never thought about that!"

- ..You're right and I-I'm sorry.. B-But..., he stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Shikamaru sighed and walked over to place a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

- I might have said too much. I didn't mean to overwhelm you. It's just that everything I've been thinking about came out before I could stop myself. But I do mean it, you should talk to us Uzumaki. No, scratch that. Just talk to me, you can trust me. If you really don't want the others to know, I won't tell them anything. The truth is, it's not just about friendship. I just don't think it's healthy for you to keep everything inside. It's better to confide in someone you trust instead of bearing this all by yourself.. while we're in school at least. What do you say? You don't even have to tell me everything, since I'm not asking this out of curiosity.

Naruto gazed into the dark eyes of the other boy, eyes which held a seriousness and determination about them he had never seen before.

"Nara.. I had no idea you cared that much.. Unlike the other guys you've never asked about my past and things like that, so I always thought you didn't care or find it important to know. To think you'd be the one to tell me this, of all people.. What should I say?"

- Umm.. How about I promise I'll tell you soon? I'm just not ready to talk about these things yet.. But I will.. Okay? he tried.

Shikamaru's frown deepened for a second, but then he hesitantly let a small smile grace his lips.

- Alright, I'll take your word for it. Take the time you need and remember that I'm ready to hear you out anytime you're ready for it, he replied, giving Naruto a pat on the shoulder before exiting the classroom.

- Phew... Ah! Class is starting..! Gotta hurry!

_**After school...**_

- That baka, an irritated Naruto mumbled to himself as he kicked his sneakers off in the entryway and shrugged out of his schoolbag.  
- He really must take me for a total dumbass, thinking I'd fall for that stupid excuse! "I wanna walk home alone today, cause I'm not feeling well, so I wouldn't be a nice company to walk with anyway," the blonde imitated his friend's way of speaking, crossing his arms grumpily.

"I get that he isn't feeling comfortable around me, but why doesn't he just say so then! Damnit, this is so irritating!"

With a sigh, he flopped down onto the couch, head leaning backwards and eyes shut to calm himself. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he tried to think of something that wasn't Sasuke Uchiha. After a few minutes, his eyes flew open as he remembered something.

- Auntie! he exclaimed at the same time as he sat up straight, stuffing his hand in his pocket to pull out his phone, before he quickly dialed the number to said woman.

- Oh, hi Naruto-kun, I was just about to call you, but I wasn't sure if you'd made it home from school quite yet, Minami said as a greeting.

- I'm sorry, I almost forgot to call, Naruto replied in slight shame.

- Don't worry about such a small thing. You called just now, didn't you? his aunt chirped on the other line, sounding as if she was smiling at the boy's modesty.

- Yeah.. So, what do you and Satoshi-san have planned for Christmas in two weeks?

- We were hoping you could come spend it with us at our new house. You've been here twice before, right?

- Un, Naruto responded, nodding even though nobody was there to see it.

- And for New Year.. we're planning to go visit Yuiko, which I believe I've mentioned before. Does that sound good to you, Naruto-kun?

- Eeh? Can't believe I'd forgotten about that! Of course I'll come! And I wanna come over for Christmas too! the blonde proclaimed, standing up in excitement.

Minami let out a small chuckle at his enthusiasm.

- Then it's decided, she stated, satisfied.

- Alright, I can't wait! Naruto was quick to say, overjoyed and hyped up to finally get to see his cousin again.

Even after hanging up, he couldn't stop smiling, until something occurred to him.

"Sasuke, it looks like you'll get what you want for now. I won't be around to bug you for a while..," was the thought running through his head as he absently fingered the phone in his hand.

A part of him knew it was a good thing, though the rest of him felt a little sad about being away from his best friend. But Naruto had other things to think about, and the positive feelings defeated the negative ones, resulting in him being happy and bouncy.

He spent the rest of the week occasionally having stiff, forced conversations with Sasuke, but mostly hanging out with his other friends. At the end of the week, when they were freed from school due to winter holiday, he kept waiting for the days, including Christmas, to fly by so that he could get ready to go to Kyoto.

* * *

**Damn, I still have some serious problems with writing dialogues. They always seem forced, no matter how hard I try T_T I need some more practice! **

**I kind of lied... I did write more about Sakura X_X But as you can see, it's sort of like a closure.. I wanted to write about Sakura moving on with her life, so if this was a manga it would be like 'the end of an arc' or something like that :) Rest assured that there will be no more focus on fan girls for a while now!**

**It's kind of weird to be writing about Christmas and New Year when we're nearing summer irl xD No biggie though, I'm actually looking forward to writing about New Year :P**

**This chappie is much shorter than what I've become used to writing, but I think I'll make a habit out of writing shorter chappies (about this length) from now on, cause then I can upload more often and it's just more fun that way imo, so I hope it won't bother anyone.**

**I couldn't get this one up on FF so fast though and that's cause I've been quite busy as of late. I had my b-day, became sick right after having moved to a new apartment and some other stuff.. Oh and now I am going on a little two-day class trip as well xD Actually don't feel up to it, but what can you do :/**

**Well I'm happy I could get this up before summer though, which I had promised myself I would. I will be pretty busy this summer tbh, but I really wanna get somewhere with this story too, so I'll keep working on it as much as I can. **

**I know this chappie was another boring one, but things are gonna start happening in the next one and Naru-chan is gonna meet someone new! (Not an OC actually) **

**I just hope you all will look forward to reading chappie 14, and the rest of the story too ofc! **

**Bye for now ^_^**


	14. Stumbling Upon Friendship

**Chapter 14: _'Stumbling Upon Friendship'_**

- Yui-chan! Naruto called excitedly, causing said woman to turn around.

- Naru! You're here early! she shouted in response as she slammed the car door shut and rushed over to greet her cousin, her voice a mixture of surprise and joy.

She stopped right in front of him, only to embrace him in a suffocating hug.

The boy couldn't help but inhale the sweet, familiar scent, feeling a sort of relievement wash over him for a moment.

Minami and Satoshi, having just exited their own car, stood to the side and watched the reunion, a smile adorning Minami's face.

- Yui! I can't breathe! Naruto's muffled voice sounded when Yuiko tightened her grip on him.

- Ah! Sorry, I'm just sooo happy to see you! she exclaimed apologetically, freeing the boy.

Taking a few steps backwards to examine potential changes in the blonde's appearances, she smiled cheekily.

- I see you're still a bit shorter than me, aren't you?

An angry vein throbbed in Naruto's forehead as he attempted to glare at her, but when his otherwise bright blue eyes spotted the childish sparkle in the uniquely colored gray-dark blue orbs that only she could possess, he knew he couldn't be irritated at her. No matter what she said to him, he would never be able to stay mad at her for long, which was exactly why he'd often felt as if he was older than her in the past, shorter or not.

Despite Naruto being the younger out of them, Yuiko had used to act like a manipulative little sister around him, one who'd known how to make use of her charms. And yet, she'd somehow always managed to keep her undeniable innocence intact. How an adult could remain so childlike, even more so than her cousin, was a mystery to Naruto, but he knew he loved her all the more for it. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice told him that he himself usually didn't act much different from Yuiko. Having spent most of his childhood days with her, it actually did make a lot of sense that her cheeky ways had rubbed off on him a little. However, there still existed clear differences between the two of them, differences only few people took note of.

- At least I'm still growing, he said instead, crossing his arms with a pout.

- Aw, it's okay if you stay that way too, Naru-chan! It's cute! Yuiko teased, covering her mouth in a bad attempt of trying to hide her giggling, apparently finding his reaction highly amusing.

- Whatever, Naruto grumbled and turned away from her, which her parents took as a sign to approach them.

- Hello Yuiko, is everything well? Satoshi asked.

- Yes dad, me and Kazuo are doing great.

- I think you forgot to lock the car doors, Minami informed her daughter, peeking at the car lock remote in her right hand, then the grocery store bag in her other hand.

- Oh, you're right, Yuiko replied, following her mother's gaze, before she pointed the remote at the car and pressed a button, causing said car to let out a _beep_ _beep_ sound.

- What do you have there? Minami asked curiously, referring to the bag.

- Nothing much, I was just out of pocky and I really wanted some, so I went out and bought these, Yuiko explained, looking eager to dig her teeth into the contents of the bag.  
- I wasn't really expecting you to come yet, but it's great that we're all here now! Let's go inside, she added, beginning to drag her cousin along as she headed for the door.

- You sure haven't changed, eating pocky all the time, Naruto commented, rolling his eyes as he let her drag him inside.

- Of course I haven't! Neither have you! Yuiko beamed.

_**At the dinner table:**_

- Happy New Near everyone! Yuiko shouted as she raised her glass of vine, looking at the others expectantly.

- Happy New Year, her husband, Kazuo, said calmly, also raising his glass.

The other three followed their example and soon they were all enjoying Yuiko's cooking, which, in Naruto's secret opinion, didn't measure up to Setsuna Uchiha's, but was decent enough.

- Yui-chan, pass the salt, Naruto nonchalantly commanded his cousin, who stuck her toungue out in a childish manner.

- You have to ask nicely, the young woman demanded jokingly.  
- But why do you need salt anyway? .. I didn't forget to add spices, did I? she questioned, looking at the others with worried puppy eyes.

- No, of course you didn't, Kazuo was quick to reply, to which Yuiko turned to him and smiled thankfully.

- I just like adding extra salt, did you forget about that? Naruto wondered, a bit taken aback by the fact that his cousin, who tended to memorize everything about people who were important to her, forgot about such a detail.

She contemplated it in her head for a moment, letting her irises roll up in a way that was typical of her whenever she tried to figure something out.

- Ohh, I remember now! But you still have to say the magic word, she smirked.

The blonde threw a quick glare at her, though gave in nontheless, remembering how useless it was to refuse her. Besides, he was a guest in her house after all.

_- Please_ pass the salt, he said behind gritted teeth, then imitated his cousin by sticking his toungue out, pushing the fact that he was a guest aside in favor of acting like a little child and ignoring the disapproving look his aunt sent him.

- As you wish, Yuiko chirped, complying without further teasing.

_**Later:**_

Naruto rolled his eyes and refrained from listening to the 'boring' conversation about politics that Minami, Satoshi, Yuiko and Kazuo were having. Well, Yuiko wasn't actually participating in the talking, but she kept listening patiently and nodding her head eagerly now and then at things her husband said, once again confusing the blonde by acting a bit out of character and enjoying such a subject, but that was only out of character if he compared her to how she had been like when she'd been a teen. And Naruto certainly wasn't stupid enough to think that people couldn't change, nor was he all too bothered by the fact that Yuiko had finally become capable of acting slightly more like the adult that she was. However, he was bored and he had hoped to be able to talk more to his cousin before the clock turned midnight. Sadly, with the way things were looking, it didn't seem like he would have anyone to discuss more 'interesting' things (whatever that could be, he didn't know himself) with that evening, so, heaving a sigh, he bounced up from his sprawled position on the couch armrest and turned his attention to the other four people in the room, about to tell them something, but stopped himself, an incredulous look on his face at the lack of response from the others. They were so caught up in their little conversation that they hadn't even noticed him move an inch. With a shrug, the boy headed over to the small hall he had entered earlier that day, put his shoes on and grabbed his jacket. Then, he exited the house, glancing one last time at the door and the window where he could see a bright light illuminating what he knew to be the living room before he made his way down the path that led directly to the road.

The small area Yuiko and her husband lived in could be defined as 'a place in the middle of nowhere', even though it was located inside of Kyoto. There were few buildings and a lot of them were abandoned, giving people kind of a ghastly feeling. Yuiko, on the other hand, was completely oblivious as to why she and Kazuo had been lucky enough to find a cheap, yet beautiful house, and she had no idea what visitors thought of the place, since nobody had ever dared comment negatively on it in her presence. She merely thought of it as homely, which it actually was, in its own ways. The house itself really was beautiful and homely, but it was the lack of liveliness, movement on the roads and small population that kept people from appreciating the area it was situated in. Most people either thought that there was something wrong with the people living there, since they were so few, or simply disliked the eerie feeling it gave off. Naruto's opinion about it was similar to Yuiko's, but he was also intrigued by the place. He had never liked the idea of ghosts and things like that, but he had stopped believing in them a long time ago, so that wasn't much of a problem, even if he was to go out in the middle of the dark night. Somehow, ever since he'd first seen it, he'd felt as if there was something special about it, as if there was something out there that he needed to find. He hadn't told anyone about this feeling, because he thought it would sound ridiculously childish and stupid if he actually tried to describe it out loud. The feeling had therefore become his strange little secret.

It had ceased snowing a couple of days earlier, leaving a soft, thin, white blanket on the ground. With the sun hiding behind a few puffy clouds, it was definitely not warm, though it wasn't extremely chilly either, despite it being an evening in the middle of the winter season. Naruto felt that he would manage just fine being outside with his usual downy jacket.

The building closest to Yuiko's house strangely turned out to be an orphanage. The reason Naruto hadn't paid attention to it before was that the building looked like any other two-storey house and was partly hidden by overgrown, currently leafless, branches. The sign on the door that said 'Imamura Orphanage' also happened to be quite hard to read from a distance due to it being old and rusty.

"Why an orphanage..?" Naruto couldn't help wondering as he scratched the top of his head, regarding the house in front of him, which was surrounded by a low, simple iron fence.

Then, he finally realized why his energetic cousin hadn't been bothered by how shrouded in lifelessness the place she lived in tended to be. Surely, when the weather was warmer, the children who resided in the orphanage would be allowed to spend time outside and, as a result, an enthusiastic Yuiko would come talk to the young ones, her being immensely fond of children. (A/N: No, she's not a pedo :D) No wonder she hadn't hesitated to convince her husband into moving there. The blonde just had a hard time beliving that she'd actually forgotten to tell him, her precious cousin who she never kept anything from, about it.

"This whole place can't be as dead as I've heard people in other parts of Kyoto seem to think then.., unless there are only like three kids or something living inside of there.."

He shook his head at that ridiculous thought, then took a moment to gaze at the covered windows of the building.

A sudden impulse surged its way down Naruto's spine. Looking to his right and then quickly to his left, he headed for the fence. He only paused for a split second, before smoothly climbing over the small obstacle. For such an athletic boy such as himself, the fence was hardly considered a hindrance, but even when he was on the other side of it, he still didn't know why he'd done what he'd done. Deciding to think about it later, he sneaked his way to the other side of the house and came across a small playground. There was also a crooked staircase leading to a porch and a backdoor. Naruto calmly walked over to the staircase and sat down on a dry spot, leaning against the back of the step as he let curious eyes wander. All windows were covered and not one single noise escaped the house, a fact which creeped the boy out a little.

Minutes of trying to figure out what he was doing there went by. He was starting to become bored again and was thinking of going back when, suddenly, he heard the faint squeaking of a door behind him. Completely taken by surprise, he jumped what felt like two meters in the air, quickly coming to his feet and spinning around to see who or _what_ had been the cause of the sound. There, right in front of him in the halfway open doorway, stood a very redhaired, pale boy who looked to be around his age, his mouth a straight line and mint-colored eyes absolutely free from emotions. Naruto put a hand to his chest and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling silly for freaking out.

As the unknown boy kept staring at him, the blonde sweat dropped.

- Umm.. H-Hi? he awkwardly tried greeting him, smiling uncertainly.

The redhead just stared, taking a while to reply.

- If you're looking for a place to live, we're out of space. You'll have to go somewhere else, he finally said as he kept his eyes locked onto the other's, not a single hint of emotion slipping through his voice.

- Wha-? No, no, that's not it.. I'm just.. a little bit lost.. Eheheh.., Naruto laughed nervously.

- ..The road's over there, the other boy explained, pointing his thumb in the direction Naruto had come from, though it ended up looking more as if he was inviting the blonde into the house.

- Oh yeah, that's right! Naruto responded, trying to make it seem as if he really didn't know where the road was, but failing badly.

- ...

Even though part of Naruto really wanted to get away from those creepy eyes as soon as possible, another part of him couldn't help being curious about the strange redhead.

- Actually, I was lying. I'm not lost, I just had little to do. You won't tell anyone I'm here, right? he inquired hopefully.

Another pause.

- ... I suppose I have no reason to.., although you do seem a bit suspicious, the redhead replied hesitantly.

- Me? Suspicious? Nah, I'm just a regular guy! Naruto claimed as he plopped back down onto the staircase and patted the spot next to him, glancing at the other boy.  
- Why don't you sit down here for a bit and talk to me? Unless you have something better to do?

The redhead hesitated for a long moment, standing rooted to his spot in the doorway, but when Naruto pointed out that it would be wisest not to keep the door open much longer, he carefully took a step forward and shut the door behind himself. He didn't sit down like the blonde had told him to though, but instead he stood, finally breaking his eye contact with the other boy and letting himself lean against the stair support.

- Won't they notice you being out here, by the way? Naruto questioned.

- ..No. All of them are either inside of their own rooms or resting on the couch. I just couldn't sleep and thought I heard something at the door.

- Oh, so I wasn't as quiet as I thought I was, huh.

- ...

- Hey, what's your name? the blonde asked, looking at the redhead from the corner of his eye.

- Gaara, was the stoic reply he received.

- I see, nice to meet you, Gaara. I'm Naruto and I came here just because I was curious about this place and didn't have anything else to do, he said, smiling in a casual, friendly manner, as if intruding on someone's property was the most natural way of relieving boredom.

Gaara gave him an odd look, but didn't say anything.

- So.. You live here? Naruto continued questioning the redhead.

- I do.

- Since when?

- Since I was around seven or eight.., Gaara replied, looking down, a hint of sadness visible in his eyes only for a few seconds, but long enough for Naruto to catch it.

- Oh.., he said in understanding, becoming silent for a minute.  
- Anyway, so how old are you right now? he asked as a way of changing the subject.

- I'm fifteen.

- That means you're only a year younger than me, cool!

- .. Maybe so...

- When can you move out of here?

- When I turn eighteen, Gaara said in response, starting to look overwhelmed by the stranger's many questions, things nobody had ever seemed to care about asking before.

Naruto noticed his discomfort and went quiet again.

- ..Alright, just one more question, okay?

Gaara nodded.

- Wanna meet up again? You seem kinda interesting! And don't worry, I can just come over here to talk. So, what do you say?

Gaara looked into the blonde's eyes, noticing a glint of hopefulness. He was quite taken aback, not having expected anyone, much less someone like Naruto, to ever be interested in getting to know him, but somewhere under the surface, he felt some kind of joy bubble inside of him at the possibility of making a friend for the first time in his somewhat pitiful life.

- .. Okay, I mean.. If you want, he replied shyly, looking away.

- Great! Naruto exclaimed, standing up to take Gaara's hands into his and shake them eagerly.  
- I'll see you sometime soon then! Bye and happy new year! he shouted, looking back at the bewildered redhead and waving as he hurriedly returned to the front yard and went straight for the fence.

Re-entering the warmth of his cousin's house, he barely had the time to close the door before an upset Yuiko showed up in the doorway leading to the living room, both hands placed on her hips.

- Naru! Where have you been? It's already half past nine!

- Really? That's not even late, Naruto stated in slight surprise, breathing a sigh of relief as he previously hadn't had a clue as to what time it was.

Yuiko gaped at the boy's carefreeness.

- Well, you could have told us you were leaving! she exclaimed, frowning irritably.

- I didn't wanna interrupt you since you seemed to be so into the conversation, Naruto explained calmly, knowing that the woman wasn't usually the type to seriously scold people and even when she did, he had developed ways to convince her that she didn't have a reason to be angry.

- ..Still..., she mumbled, looking down while she fruitlessly tried to think of another argument.

Meanwhile, Naruto took the chance to slip away and go find his aunt, which didn't turn out to be a hard task. Minami, Satoshi and Kazuo were all still sitting in the living room, not having moved around much at all since he last saw them. Kazuo was in the middle of saying something, but paused when Naruto made his presence known by sitting down on the armchair Yuiko had been occupying earlier.

- Naruto-kun, you're back. Where were you? Minami questioned, letting a hint of disappointment, most likely due to the boy's lack of manners, creep into her voice.

That was when Yuiko stomped into her living room, glaring at the blonde boy.

- Naru! That wasn't nice! she proclaimed.

- What wasn't? Naruto asked cluelessly, tilting his head at her.

- To walk away while I was talking!

- Oh, sorry Yui-chan, I thought you were finished, Naruto replied innocently, scratching the back of his head.

- .. Fine, I'll let you off the hook this time, but don't expect it to happen again! Yuiko assured him, unable to resist the urge to pout childishly.

- Thanks Yui-chan! Naruto grinned.

Kazuo stared at the two of them, slightly ashamed of how childish his wife was acting, but kept his thoughts to himself in fear of getting a rare scolding.

As Yuiko left to go to the kitchen, claiming that she wanted to make some drinks for all of them to enjoy, Minami cleared her throat, fixing her eyes on her nephew.

- So, I'm still quite curious to know where you were for the last hour.., she said.

Looking up from playing with his socks in a lack of anything better to do, Naruto noticed that all three adults in the room were gazing at him expectantly.

"Shit.. What do I say now..?"

- Err.. Here and there. I just went for a walk, nowhere special, he tried and was relieved to see that, albeit hesitantly, they all decided to be satisfied with his vague reply and gradually returned to conversing about things that in his eyes were completely insignificant.

"Phew.. I got away easily. I don't think I should tell them about Gaara.. At least not yet."

Just as the clock finally struck twelve, a slightly tipsy Yuiko let out a loud squeal and shouted 'happy New Year!' repeatedly nearly at the top of her lungs, similarly to an excited child on its birthday. Naruto, who had been about to fall asleep, almost fell off the comfortable armchair at the woman's sudden outbursts. Blinking, he tried to identify the source of the noise that had prevented him from falling into a blissful slumber.

- What the...? were the only two words he had the time to produce before his hand was grabbed and he was yanked out of the chair by a familiar brunette in possession of multicolored eyes.

Too tired to stand, he simply fell back into the chair, Yuiko's hands still holding onto his.

- Naru! Wake up! It's New Year now! she basically screamed into his unfortunate ear.

It took two mere seconds for Naruto to register exactly what she was talking about in his tired state and another single second for his face to lighten up considerably, all signs of tiredness completely abolished.

- Really? Already? he questioned, but then he remembered that he had been waiting for the past two hours for something to happen before finally deciding to give into that undeniable desire to simply doze off that his eyelids had been trying to force him to accept.

Apparently, Yuiko had other plans, judging by the wide grin situated on her face as she kept her grip on her younger cousin's hands.

- Oi, Yui-chan, let go of me already! Naruto demanded with fake irritation, actually not even quite sure himself why he even bothered snapping at her, especially during New Year.

- Not before you say the magic words!

- Again? Fine, Naruto groaned.  
- ..Pl.. Wait, words? _Many_ words?

- Yep!

- Happy New Year? he tried.

- Bingo! Yuiko exclaimed happily, glomping the unsuspecting boy, who instinctively feared that the chair would fall over at the extra weight pressed against his small frame.  
- And.. I wonder how many times I've said it today, but happy New Year to you too, Naru!

The blonde couldn't help letting a genuine smile spread over his face at how sweet she could be and at how some things really never changed.

- Happy New Year, Yui-chan. I hope you and Kazuo-san will have a great one, he repeated and reciprocated the hug, putting more feelings into his words this time.  
- By the way, where did the others go? he asked, looking around in confusion as he slowly broke out of the embrace.

- Ah, they're sitting outside. I brought them some blankets so we could all watch the snow together. I just had to go wake you up first, but now that you're up, let's go join them, ne?

Naruto yawned and stretched his limbs, before reaching his hands out for his cousin to pull him up by.

- Sure, that sounds nice, he replied, trying not too sound too excited about such a small thing.

Yuiko gave him one of her dazzling smiles, a trait which they both shared, and did exactly what he expected her to do.

- Look who I found, the brunette announced as she and her cousin seated themselves on the porch just outside the living room window, Yuiko taking the spot next to her husband on one of the two benches and Naruto squeezing himself in between Minami and Satoshi on the other bench.

- Yui-chan, didn't you say that it was snowing? the blonde questioned in disappointment at seeing the snow-covered, yet completely still ground and the dry air that surrounded them.

- It was snowing until just now, Minami responded in place of her daughter, putting a hand on her nephew's shoulder.

- Oh.., Naruto mumbled, looking down as he had childishly been looking forward to spending the very start of the New Year watching snowflakes fall from the sky.

- Don't worry! It might start snowing again soon! Yuiko chirped, being positive as usual.

In the end, Naruto didn't get to experience the beautiful New Year out of a fairytale that he'd originally hoped for, but being a normally cheerful sixteen-year-old, he didn't get too hung up on it. Instead, a few thoughts about his new friend crossed his mind as he sat under a blanket beside his aunt. There were more questions he wanted to ask the fellow orphan and he also found himself wondering how Gaara would be spending his New Year. He really didn't understand why, but he felt as if he'd already bonded with the redhead in some way or another. Maybe it was just the fact that neither of them had the luxury known as parents. Whatever it was, Naruto was determined to discover more facts about his new friend.

"I almost forgot that I made a New Year wish.. It's stupid, but I hope it will come through, for Sasuke's sake too..," was the last thing he thought before he drifted off to dreamland that night.

* * *

**This time, I'm really sorry. *Bows down as an apology***

**I know it's been.. long. In my defense, I can say I've been swamped with a lot of things, so I haven't found either the time or the energy to finish this chappie before now, even if it's not long or anything. Believe me though, I've had this story in the back of my mind and I've felt rather guilty about not updating in so long. Again, I'm sorry, but shit happens, ne? I don't even have any idea how many or little people read this, but as long as there are people who still follow it, I feel obliged to do my best. Too bad my summer will end soon, before it has really even started, which is something that just makes me wanna move all the more. Or black out. Whichever comes first. -_-' Anyway, enough of that jazz.**

**So, what do you think the wish is ? Any clues ?**

**If someone gets the answer right, they will get a cookie! (Dude, really, through the internet? Yeah, that's right!). If you've been following the story, it's not very hard to guess what his wish is. :3**

**Oh yeah, I just brought in Gaara! I couldn't resist. I realized that I had not included him as one of Naru-chan's classmates or even mentioned him at all and, being sort of a Gaara fan girl, I came up with the idea of having our blonde protagonist meet him a bit later on in the story. I figured, now is a good time for that. I won't reveal much right now, except that Naru and Gaara are gonna become close friends, support/understand each other and talk about things that only orphans would talk about to strengthen their friendship. And other cheesy stuff. Read to find out what. :D**

**Ironically, I'm usually not very fond of reading fics that include OCs, but I don't mind creating my own ones.. Though I might have overdone it a bit and added too many in this story. Well, there's just 1 more OC left to introduce. After that, I'm sticking to the original characters. :3**

**No Sasuke this time, but I'll most likely write about him in the next chappie.**

**Thanks to you loyal people who keep reading & reviewing, even when I'm being a really crappy author.**

**Until next time! ^^**


	15. Facing The Inevitable

**Chapter 15: _'Facing the Inevitable'_**

**Sasuke's PoV:**

_Sasuke was just about to walk out of the classroom when a hand came out of nowhere, preventing his exit. Looking to his right, he spotted the owner of the hand, his blonde friend. _

_- Naruto.., he began irritably, but his words died away instantly as he noticed that there was something seriously different about the boy._

_Try as he may, he couldn't stop staring into those cerulean eyes. Normally, he would have deciphered his fascination to be because of the love he felt towards the blonde, however, that wasn't the case this time. What really caught his attention was the eerily solemn look on Naruto's face. It was as if a shadow was looming above the usually cheerful boy to create such an ominous expression. Apart from looking pained, his beautiful, blue orbs were also a darker shade than the raven had ever seen them, his skin no longer looked healthily tanned, and he was constantly biting his lower lip, causing Sasuke to worry that he was going to make himself bleed. _

_-W-What's wrong? he asked pathetically when his voice finally returned to him, trying, but failing not to sound too worried and desperate to know the answer to his question._

_Naruto averted his eyes._

_- ..Sasuke, he said weakly, grabbing onto the raven's shirt sleeve, as if to stop him from leaving._

_His mouth opened and closed several times and Sasuke felt like he was slowly dying inside as he watched the other boy struggle to find the words he was looking for. The feeling was unexplainable._

_- I-I've been thinking and.. there's.. something I-I need to tell you, the blonde managed to whisper at last, gulping and still refusing to look the raven in the eyes._

_Only then did Sasuke notice that the room had become abnormally stuffy and dark, but he didn't care. Naruto's strange behaviour alone made him so nervous that his heartbeats quickened to an extent where he could clearly hear the beating of his own heart pound in his overly sensitive ears._

_- What is it? he inquired, forcing himself to seem less panicky than he really was._

_He just knew whatever he was about to hear would be something beyond horrifying. _

_- I-_

- ..suke!  
- Sasuke!

The youngest Uchiha abruptly woke from his nightmare, lying flat on his back with wide-open eyes as his dark bangs became damp with the sweat that slowly poured down his face. It took him a moment to realize that it had been nothing but a bad dream, and even as he did, an unpleasant shiver found its way down his spine. The relief that came over him to replace the dread he had felt in the strange dream lasted merely a few seconds before he hesitantly began to sit upright, lightly clutching his dry throat in an absent-minded daze. Even knowing it had just been a dream, he couldn't quite shake off the alarming feeling it had caused.

- Sasuke! someone shouted once more from downstairs, but this time he recognized the voice to be his mother's. Groaning, he glanced at the clock and was momentarily stunned to see that it was already nearing noon.

"No wonder she's being so loud, for me to sleep in this long.. and for what? To have a nightmare about the dobe?" he thought bitterly, glaring at his alarmclock as if it was the cause of all his problems.

Sasuke Uchiha was most definitely not having a pleasant start of the day, but then again, it wasn't as if he had been lucky enough to experience many pleasant mornings since the winter holidays began.

Well, nightmares were actually far from frequent to him. In fact, the last time he'd had one of those had been years in the past, which was why he wasn't accustomed to waking up in a coldsweat. What normally bothered him in the mornings was being waken up early, either by Setsuna or Shizune, then forced to join Itachi at the breakfast table, and not to mention, his mother constantly attempting to make him strike up a conversation with his older brother. Not that it wasn't nice to receive attention, which was what he had secretly always longed for, but he kept feeling that they were only doing it for Itachi's sake, which led him to believe that it wasn't the sort of attention he wanted.

"Well, I better get up.."

Having gotten dressed and finally managed to stop the swirl of thoughts concerning the dream and what it could possibly mean, he was on his way downstairs when his nose picked up a lovely scent, but he wasn't able to discern what it was. Presuming his mother had baked something, Sasuke reacted in the opposite way of how most people in that situation would have reacted; he frowned. The reason for the abnormal reaction was that he knew Setsuna never baked, unless it was a special occasion. The unusual occurence confused him, for he couldn't recall having heard anything about a guest being supposed to arrive, or anything else that would mark the day as special.

It was the third of January. Three days prior, Sasuke had been allowed to stay home by himself as his parents spent their evening at a New Year celebration dedicated to the company success of the previous year and the one to come. Fugaku Uchiha, his colleagues, subordinates and the spouses of all the parties involved had been invited. Itachi had been nowhere to be seen and Sasuke had not bothered questioning his whereabouts. The teenager himself hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, just settled for watching a movie and gone to bed soon after the clock had told him that a new year had begun. He didn't really care what he did on New Year, his birthday, or any other day most teens had the tendency of celebrating. To him, all days of the year had pretty much felt the same for as long as he could remember. Even if they were celebrated, he never felt that they _needed_ to be celebrated.

The boy grew even more suspicious as he got closer to the kitchen and was able to make out quiet voices conversing with each other. Slowly, without a sound, he pushed the sliding door to the spacy, luxurous kitchen open and was greeted with the sight of his mother, father, brother and an unknown, young woman he had never seen before sitting next to Itachi at the kitchen table. The woman was beautiful with her long, wavy, blond hair that reached all the way to her lower back and was such a light shade it almost looked a little whiteish, fair skin and gentle, brown eyes. She wore an expensive-looking ring on her ring finger, which seemed to match the one Itachi always could be seen with.

At first, nobody took notice of the addition to people and carried on, without a pause, doing what they had been doing before the youngest Uchiha showed up. Fugaku stood off to the side a little, keeping his arms crossed as he regarded the unknown woman with a stern look on his face. Itachi silently watched his supposed wife, who had apparently been told the timer was broken and thus was trying to convince his mother into letting her take her place in watching the pie in the oven, claiming that it was the least she could do to thank Setsuna for her hospitality. Setsuna, on the other hand, who was glancing every other second at the unfinished pie, smiled kindly and told her that she wouldn't have a guest do something like that for her.

Sasuke did his best not to frown or stare at the stranger as he quietly seated himself at the chair farthest away from Itachi and his wife, gaining momentary surprised looks from the others.

- Mother, you called? he said instead of a greeting, glancing at Setsuna from the corner of his black orbs before fixing said eyes on the table in front of him, completely ignoring the curious gaze he could feel coming from the nameless woman.

- Oh, there you are, Sasuke. I was just wondering if I would have to go fetch you, Setsuna replied with a strained smile, resisting the urge to correct his impolite behaviour towards their guest.

Itachi's wife appeared to have forgotten about convincing Setsuna into letting her help her in favor of throwing curious, what she seemed to think were discreet, glances at the newcomer.

Setsuna bent down to inspect the pie and, with a pleased nod, determined that it was done. After taking it out of the oven, she began busying herself with cutting it into equally large pieces. Meanwhile, Itachi turned to his wife.

- This is my ototo, Sasuke, he said, gesturing proudly towards said boy.

- Pleased to meet you, Sasuke-kun. My name is Reira and I'm married to your brother, the woman introduced herself, letting her face shift into a gentle, mesmerizing smile as she stood up a little in order to reach her hand out politely.

The only thing that forced the young raven to take her up on the offer of a handshake and not to scowl at being called '_Sasuke-kun_' was his manners, the etiquette his mother had taught him. His father wasn't normally as strict about such things as Setsuna was, which was evident with the way he kept boring his sharp, calculating eyes into the seemingly oblivious woman.

Sasuke eyed Reira warily as he shook her hand, his reply coming in the form of a mumble, since he refused to display a cheerfulness he didn't possess. Polite gestures were natural, but nobody said he had to _sound _happy about the sudden visit when he obviously wasn't.

- Pleased to meet you.

It might have just been his imagination, but when Reira sat back in her seat, he thought he saw signs of weariness and dark bags beneath her eyes that had been skillfully covered with makeup to make it hard to spot them for those who weren't paying close attention. Sasuke quirked a brow for a split second, but wouldn't admit to himself that even he was becoming a little curious.

"More importantly, why didn't anybody tell me about this, I wonder? If not mother, then at least Shizune would have.. But where is she anyway? I haven't seen her in days.."

- Mother? he said just as Setsuna stopped cutting into the pie and placed the baking tin on the middle of the table.

- What is it, Sasuke? she questioned, motioning towards the cake to let the others know they could help themselves, before she faced her youngest son.

- Where's Shizune?

- Oh, I never told you, did I? She went to see her family in Aichi a couple of days ago, before New Year. I suppose it must have been decided a bit suddenly, so se didn't find the time to tell you. She'll be back by the time you start school though.

- I see, Sasuke replied, hiding his disappointment.

As he thought about it, he actually did remember Shizune mentioning something about leaving for a couple of weeks, but it had been about a month since. He was disappointed because she was, after all, the only person in the Uchiha mansion he felt comfortable around. He didn't have to think of how to act around her or how to talk, it all came naturally as she was something of an older friend to him.

Fugaku finally gave up standing like a statue in the corner and came over to sit opposite of Reira, his mouth still a thin, straight line. Setsuna placed a couple of dessert plates and spoons next to the baking tin and seated herself beside her husband, watching contently as Itachi put a piece of the cherry pie on a plate and handed it to his wife.

- Can I be excused? Sasuke inquired all of a sudden, looking at his mother, suddenly feeling that he really just wanted to go back to his room.

- You don't want any pie, Sasuke? Itachi wondered.

- No, I'm fine, the boy replied without facing his brother.

Truthfully, he wasn't very fond of sweet things. He didn't hate them, but had never quite been able to enjoy the taste of sweets, which was just another reason for him not to stay.

Setsuna hesitated, not sure if she wanted to give him permission to leave yet or not. But after a moment of hesitation, she decided to go easy on the teenager.

- Okay, but make sure to be back down by five o'clock. We'll be eating in the dining room.

Sasuke nodded and turned to leave, only to hear his name being called, forcing him to turn his back to the direction he'd been heading for.

- Oh and Sasuke? Just one more thing; You haven't eaten anything at all today, have you?

Only then did he notice that he was rather hungry. He held back a sigh.

- No, I haven't.

Setsuna smiled as if to show that she wasn't upset over such a small thing, though she could be sometimes. Nothing that went on around them seemed to be bothering Fugaku, for he was completely lost in thoughts and had once again, probably unconsciously, crossed his arms and left a stern look plastered on his face. Itachi and Reira, who were both used to his endless, silent stares by now, were enjoying the pie, talking about how good it was. Sasuke could see Reira's hand resting on top of his brother's, which made him quickly look away, resisting the urge to cringe.

- Why don't you just eat some bread or something? You'll manage for another four hours then, won't you? Setsuna suggested.

- Okay, Sasuke replied quickly and went over to the fridge, searching for some of that bread his mother had mentioned.

- Here, let me help you, Setsuna offered as she came up next to him, instantly finding what he couldn't spot.

- Thanks mother, but I don't think I need anything else, he said as Setsuna started taking out butter, ham and salad.

Setsuna raised a brow.

- Are you sure you want to eat it dry like that? she asked, her voice full of doubt.

- Yes, it's okay. Can I eat upstairs if I only drink some water with it?

- That should be fine..

A few minutes later, a relieved Sasuke finally climbed back up the stairs, went into his room, put down the plate full of bread and headed for the bathroom opposite of his bedroom, taking the glass with him to fill it up with water.

"That woman.. She must be the reason Itachi didn't contact me all those years..," he thought angrily, tightening his grip on the glass and clenching his teeth.

"Even if she doesn't say anything about it, I'm going to find out exactly what they have been up to."

As he walked back into his room and closed the door, his lips curled into a determined smirk. He wasn't going to let this chance to find out the truth slip away, all he needed was some time to pull himself together from the shock and bitterness he'd felt while suddenly being faced with a woman he couldn't stand.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Despite not having set any alarm with the intention of sleeping in, Naruto woke early that day. Rubbing his sleep-filled eyes, he grumbled, but decided against going back to sleep, knowing it would take forever to actually return to a blissful slumber. He sat up and stretched, taking in the simple design of the guest room that already, after a couple of days, was covered in dirty clothing and whatever else would be found in a boy's room.

"Oh well.. I have plenty of time to sleep. Now I just have to find something to wear in this mess."

Fully clothed and having washed his face, feeling a lot more energetic, the boy hummed as he walked through the bottom floor of the small two-story house, wanting to see if anyone else was up. That was when he heard a distinct sound coming from the living room. Smiling, he headed in the direction of the sound.

- Yui-chan? he questioned, staring at the pair of legs he could see sticking out from the front of the couch as he approached from behind.

Walking closer, he noticed that it was indeed his cousin who was sprawled on the couch, completely awake with a blanket covering her lap and an empty mug placed on the small table in front of her.

- Naru? she said, turning her head to look at him.

Her relaxed face shifted into a pleasant smile and she gestured for him to come sit next to her.

- Come on, let's talk.

Naruto happily complied, taking another few, long strides, only to plop down beside her on the couch, letting out a content sigh as he leaned up against her slender frame.

- What are you doing up already? Yuiko asked curiously after a moment of pleasant silence.

- Dunno, I just woke up early, the boy replied with a shrug.

The brunette glanced at him, a thoughtful expression on her face.

- We haven't talked much like we used to in a while, have we? she inquired, though it was more of an innocent statement than a question.

- You're right, Naruto responded simply, meeting her gaze to see if he could decipher where she was going with that statement, but finding nothing.

Yuiko frowned a little, but quickly caught herself and returned to her normal cheerful self.

- So, how have you been, Naru? she asked then.

- Just fine, Konoha isn't that bad at all. People are.. nice there.

- What was that pause for? Yuiko questioned, sitting up straighter, not hiding her interest in the least.

"Trust her to notice every little thing.."

- Uh.. Nothing, the blonde lied badly, grinning sheepishly.

- Aw, come on, just tell me, Yuiko begged.

- Well.. The girls at my school are a bit weird, is all.

- Weird? How?

- They seem to hate me..

The brunette, who had opened her mouth to reply, was cut off.

- But I don't wanna talk about thaaaat, Naruto whined, then lay down, placing his head on his cousin's lap, which was something he often tended to do, ever since finding out that she was literally soft enough to be used as a pillow.

- Fine, Yuiko pouted childishly, looking away as she absently fingered the smooth, blond locks in her lap.

They went quiet again and Naruto, having had a lot of moments as of late where he would take the time to think and enjoy the silence, was beginning to realize how nice it actually could be, despite him always having felt unnerved by it in the past.

- There's one nice girl though. We're kind of.. friends, I guess.. She's just really shy. But I mostly just hang with the guys. At least _they_ are normal, compared to those girls..

He was lost in thoughts for a moment, before adding;

- It's fine though, they actually haven't bothered me in a while now.

Yuiko's face suddenly shifted into a mischievous grin.

- Oh? There _is_ a girl, huh? Do you like her?

- What? N-No! I don't like Hyuuga-chan that way! She's just a friend, okay? Jeez..

- Aww.. So there isn't anyone you like?

- ..No, Naruto replied, averting his eyes as he felt a small blush creep up onto his cheeks.

- You're blushing! There is, isn't there? Yuiko almost yelled triumphantly, but quickly covered her mouth, realizing that she needed to be a little quieter, else she would wake the whole house up.

- No, Yui-chan, there isn't anyone.., the boy tried convincing her, but felt how the blush deepened and had to cover his face with his hands so she would stop trying to stare knowingly into his shifty eyes.

He was a very bad liar, but it wasn't as if he was actually lying, so why was his body reacting in such a way?

- Naaaru... Tell me already, I'm dying of curiosity! Yuiko half-exclaimed, and he could hear it in her voice that she was smirking gleefully.

As she began tickling him, he couldn't hold the laughter back and he had to remove the hands from his face to protect his body best as he could from the tickle attacks.

- I won't stop if you don't tell me who she is! Yuiko threatened all too happily as she kept tickling him.

- Okay, okay, s-stop iiiit! Naruto begged between the laughters, before managing to crawl away from the couch and lie down flatly on the floor.

He was breathing heavily and his face was the color of a tomato.

- So, are you going to tell me? the brunette questioned, a victorious gleam in her eye.

Naruto threw a glare at her, before letting out a defeated sigh.

- Fine, I will, but don't make any weird comments, please?

- ..Alright, Yuiko replied, sounding even more curious than before.

- And most of all, you have to promise not to tell anybody. I haven't told this little story to anyone, it's a secret, okay?

- 'kay, I promise! Now come back here, I wanna see your face when you're talking.. I won't tickle you again, deal?

Naruto returned to the couch, once again seating himself, but this time he decided to sit further away from his cousin, just in case. He waited until the redness of his face disappeared before he began talking.

- First I wanna tell you that there's not actually anyone I like-

_- but_, he continued before Yuiko could say anything.

- some weird things have been going on.. and it's not just about the girls..

He paused to look at his cousin and couldn't help smiling at how her face resembled that of an innocent little child just about to be told a fairytale, but the smile faded once he began telling his story.

- I made a friend.. he's actually my best friend, which is kinda funny since I hated him from the start. His name is Sasuke Uchiha and he's.. well, he's rich, but that's not the point. He's fun to hang out with and actually much different than I'd expected him to be. So, umm.. We were on a school trip recently and a lot of things happened and...

The blonde made another pause, unsure of how to go on, what to say next. It all was too awkward to him. Had Sasuke actually been a girl, he wouldn't have felt so embarrassed about telling Yuiko what had occurred in the old dorm room of Kazekage boarding school. But as things were, he honestly hadn't even thought of telling a single soul.

Yuiko had calmed down and grown serious after noting that it was a very sensitive subject to her cousin, so she gently took his hand and squeezed it to assure him that there was no need to rush the story.

Naruto smiled appreciatingly and took a deep breath.

"I guess it _might _help to talk about it.. I just wasn't ready for it, but I've already made a deal, so I can't back out now," he thought, swallowing one last gulp before continuing.

- ..he told me something I'd never thought I'd hear him say.. I really had no clue and I felt so stupid for never having realized that he.. that he l-loves me.. It came as a total shock to me...

The blush had returned with even more intensity, he felt like his ears would burn from the heat and he refused to meet his cousin's eyes.

A long silence followed. Naruto figured Yuiko was trying to find the right words to say to him after listening to his awkward confession.

- Oh.. I get it now, it's a boy.. Well, I'm not gonna lie, it does complicate things, but-

- No, wait! Naruto hastily cut her off, finally turning to face her.  
- Don't get me wrong, _he_'s the one who likes _me_, not the other way around.. I-I'm straight.

Yuiko placed her hands on his shoulders, slowly shaking her head, but letting a smile onto her face in the process.

- Naru.. Love isn't always about gender and sexuality, it's not about being gay or straight. Anyone can fall in love with anyone, that's just the way things work. I must admit though, I'm surprised, cause I hadn't ever even thought of the possibility of someone close to me ending up in a situation like this, but I can't blame that guy either. You're a sweet, lovable boy, Naru, there's nothing weird about someone, anyone, falling for you, I hope you know that. But you should talk things over as soon as possible with this Uchiha guy if you haven't, tell him how _you _feel. Do you really not have any feelings for him whatsoever?

Naruto averted his eyes again.

- ..No.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah, I'm pretty sure..

- Well, you're just going to have to break his heart and hope you can be become best friends again afterwards then.. By the way, he's your age then, right?

- ..Yeah, why? Naruto asked suspiciously.

- You're both so young, I'm sure he'll get over it eventually, so cheer up and stop worrying, Naru-chan! It's not like you can help it if you don't feel the same way he does, Yuiko said, smiling goofily and going from serious mode to cheerful mode in a matter of seconds.

- I guess you have a point.., the blonde replied thoughtfully, then added more to himself;

- And there's no way I like him like that, it just felt weird when he kissed me. (A/N: Boy are you in denial :D)

His eyes widened and he quickly covered his mouth, noticing the slip up a few seconds too late.

"Ah.. crap, I was _not_ gonna say that out loud.."

Yuiko's eyes sparkled and her cheeks colored a rosy red in barely contained excitement.

- Did I just hear that right? ..My little cousin has gotten his first kiss, hasn't he? By another boy nonetheless, not bad!

She let out a giggle, making herself seem like some sort of possessed fangirl more than anything.

Naruto sweat-dropped.

- Eh, Yuiko, just forget I said that!

Yuiko didn't listen to him, instead she happily wrapped her arms around him as if celebrating something big and Naruto couldn't help rolling his eyes at her.

- That's great, Naru! I've been waiting for that, but I didn't think you'd actually tell me, so I'm really happy!

- Oh come on, it's not such a big deal..

He was saved from further embarrassment by a robe-clad, yawning Minami, who showed up in the doorway.

- Good morning, what's the occasion? she asked, looking back and forth between her daughter and nephew.

Naruto quickly broke the one-sided hug and turned to his aunt.

- Umm.. Nothing special.. Yui-chan is just being clingy. How was your night, auntie?

- I slept like a rock. Oh and Yuiko, want me to make some breakfast?

The brunette finally broke out of her happy daze.

- If you want to, but I'll help you, she replied to her mother's question, bouncing off the couch and following her into the kitchen like a loyal puppy.

When they were gone, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.

"Seems like I'm gonna have to avoid Yui-chan for a little while, only 'til she calms down about it.. Otherwise she might say something she's not supposed to say while auntie and Satoshi-san can hear her.. Damnit, why did I have to go and reveal that much!"

He wanted to hit himself for his stupidity, but settled for burrying his face in a pillow until Yuiko came back to drag him off for the first meal of the day.

* * *

**Hey, it's been long.. Feels like years since I updated last time. I've had so much going on with exams and stuff, though I dunno if anyone has missed me :P**

**To begin with, I'll reply to Dragonn's comment here, since it's impossible to reply privately to unregistered people or those who aren't logged on while commenting. **

**I actually did write 'three', like you said, so you must have read it wrongly or you meant the other way around. Well, to clear the small matter up, I both _meant _and _wrote _'three', as in the number 3. It'd be rare for me to make such a mistake I think, since I often look up words I'm unsure how to spell and always proofread (not saying I never fail to spot an error though).  
****In this case it wasn't actually a mistake, but don't worry about it. I'm not upset about it or anything, I was just a little confused at first. I was about to forget to say this, but you were also right about the wish :P ****Oh and thanks for the kind words, they are much appreciated ^ ^**

**(Here's a tip for people who are new to the site and haven't bothered making an account: You really should register if you're expecting replies, since replies go to one's inbox and thus can't be written to those who don't have an account.)**

**Now about this chappie: Well finally, Reira has been introduced. She's the last OC, I can promise you that. Her story will most likely be explained in the next chappie – I've somewhat planned what to write, but there are still details I'm unsure of, so I'll need to come up with something more to fill in the gaps. Also hoping I can squeeze in more Gaara. Anyway, the conversation between Naruto and Yuiko wasn't all for nothing, it's necessary since Yuiko will play a more important role from now on. For example, what she said about sexuality will affect Naruto's way of thinking, and there's more of that to come. The humor part with her acting like a (yaoi) fangirl was really just there as a way to complete the chappie in a light-hearted manner, and no, she isn't actually a 'fujoshi', she was just _overly _happy about the news. She's the type who becomes all happy over the simple things, as you may have noticed by now.**

**That's it for this time. Reviews are as much appreciated as always. And don't be shy about correcting possible mistakes. Thanks for reading, look forward to chappie 16! ^ ^**


	16. Keeping In Touch

**Chapter 16: '_Keeping In Touch'_**

- Yui-chan, I'm going out for a while! the blond boy shouted as he grabbed the handle of the door.

- Hold it, just a sec! Yuiko shouted back, causing the boy to sigh, and a few seconds later she was in the hallway, her back turned towards him as she dug through a cabinet.

- I heard it's going to rain today, she mumbled.

Naruto waited impatiently, contemplating whether it would be better just to sneak out while she wasn't paying attention.

- Found it! the brunette exclaimed before handing the umbrella to the boy.

- I'm supposed to carry this around even if it doesn't start raining? he inquired, hesitantly accepting the object.

- Yup! Have fun doing whatever, Yuiko smiled.

"She's not going to ask where I'm going? Odd.. but lucky."

- Thanks, bye, Naruto said, hurrying out of the house before his cousin had the chance to change her mind about questioning him.

Approximately five minutes later, he was standing by the iron gate situated in front of Imamura Orphanage, trying to figure out what was the best way to get a hold of Gaara. As usual, the building with its covered windows looked to be abandoned from a distance. During daytime it didn't have that spooky feeling as it did when it was dark out though.

"It would be weird to just jump over the fence again and ring the doorbell as if I've been invited... If only I had his number.. but I don't even know if he has a cellphone... Damn, this is harder than I'd thought.."

He kept thinking, but failed to find a solution to the problem. After a moment of frustration, he was startled out of his thoughts by the front door opening. A young, slightly stern-looking woman with a funny hairstyle of four blond pigtails exited the building and accustomedly walked over to the mailbox beside the boy, almost failing to spot him at first and when she did she only threw a quick, suspicious glance at him before retrieving the mail and turning to walk back. Naruto, on the other hand, saw it as a golden chance and called out for her to wait.

The woman stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn to face the boy.

- Um.., he started, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

- I-Is it okay for me to come in for a little while? There's someone I know who lives in there.. I won't be long, so please..? he pleaded.

The woman took her time replying, seeming to contemplate his request. Then she turned her head to look at him, her eyes narrowing.

- Who are you? she asked.

Naruto's eyes widened, him not having expected such a blunt question.

- I'm.. a friend of Gaara..

The woman's shoulders seemed to tense up, but she refused to let the doubt show on her face, preferring to keep an indifferent expression instead.

- Is that so? I haven't seen you before though.. Why is that? She continued questioning him, glancing at the entrance to the orphanage as she did so, obviously quite suspicious of the unknown blonde.

- I.. I met him long ago... but I.. moved away and haven't seen him in many years now..

"..I hope she'll fall for that.."

- Hm.. Well, okay then, a short while shouldn't hurt. I'll be watching you though.

Naruto's entire face lit up in relief.

- Thank you so much! he exclaimed.

The woman threw him a quick, almost unrecognizable smile before heading back inside, the other blonde following her.

Imamura Orphanage turned out to be bigger on the inside than what it looked like on the outside. Despite her stern appearances, Sabaku Temari, the woman who had reluctantly helped him get inside and who also had told him she was Gaara's sister, was actually quite kind and helpful, as long as he didn't say anything that would get on her nerves, and she managed to warm up to him relatively fast. If he hadn't known better, he would almost have mistaken her to be curious about him. She explained a little about how things worked in the orphanage and showed him which rooms belonged to which age groups. The room Gaara shared with three other orphans was for the 'oldest kids', as Temari referred to them as. They could be between the ages fourteen and seventeen, though currently Gaara was the youngest out of them, one of them being only two months away from the age of eighteen, which was when they could move out if they wanted to.

- But they don't have any cash to pay for an own place then, do they? Naruto had asked.

- Some of them actually have part time jobs, just like other, regular teens, and they also get some financial help, as in they are allowed to lend money for college or whatever else and pay back sometime in the future when they are able to do it. But of course, nobody's going to chase them out as soon as they turn legal, they are more than welcome to stay for as long as there is enough space for them and until they feel they are ready to go into the big world on their own. As for me, I did that not long after I turned eighteen. I would have felt bad for leaving Gaara alone, but back then Kankuro, his older brother, was still living here. He recently moved out, and I'm just here right now to check up on Gaara, to see how he's holding up without his siblings, had been Temari's lengthy, but informative reply.

Naruto had been happy to hear that the children of the orphanage, including his new friend, were treated so well.

He was also told that Temari had been shocked just to hear her youngest brother's name being mentioned by an outsider, since Gaara was, without a doubt, not the social type who tended to befriend people. Naruto didn't give much of a reply, just nodded in understanding.

After dodging, and occasionally bumping into, a number of lively children who were playing tag in the corridors, Temari stopped in front of a door on the second floor.

- This is their room, she said and knocked.

- Come in, a quiet voice could be heard from inside.

- Gaara, your friend is here, Temari said, entering the room.

Naruto followed her inside and the first thing he could see was his redheaded friend sitting on a single bed, watching his sister with what looked to be a surprised expression. Gaara's eyes shifted to the one standing behind her and widened in the process, while Naruto noted to himself that he had been alone in the room before they showed up.

- ..Naruto-san? Gaara managed to say at last, his eyes full of unasked questions.

- Yo! Naruto greeted him happily.

- Oh, so you recognize him, Temari said in pleasant surprise, smiling cheekily.  
- Well, I'll let you two talk. See you later, Naruto-kun, Gaara.

She threw them a little wink before exiting the room, leaving the two boys to themselves.

- Surprised? Told you I'd be back, Naruto said, seating himself on the chair by the desk which was closest to Gaara's bed.

- Yes, I mean... How did you-

- How I got inside? Actually, I got lucky, your sister was fetching the mail when I turned up. Great, huh? By the way, how long is she staying here anyways?

- I think.. just a few days..

- Oh, I see, too bad. But maybe she'll talk to the ladies who work here so they'll let me come over once in a while. I.. Truth is, I actually don't live in Kyoto, but I'm going to be here for two more weeks and then I'll come visit once in a while on holidays. My cousin lives here.

Gaara was silent for a while, seemingly trying to think up something to say.

- ..Then, where do you live? he finally asked.

- You've probably never heard of it, but it's this small village in Osaka, called Konoha.

- Oh..

- Yup, so what do you wanna talk about? Wanna tell me what your school is like?

- Naruto-san, I've been meaning to ask you.. Why do you want to be my.. friend? Gaara inquired, hastily looking down as a small blush crept over his cheeks, just at having to use the word 'friend'.

- Eh? Hm.. Gaara, don't you like me? Naruto questioned, feeling a bit worried that the redhead thought he was being forced into being his friend for some unknown reason.

Gaara's eyes widened again.

- No! I mean, yes.. I don't mind you, even if I hardly know you, I.. I was just wondering..

The blonde breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ah, that's all it was.. Thank God."

- Why wouldn't I?

- Because.. nobody has ever wanted to.. before.. I think they fear me, for some reason..

- Fear you? Naruto repeated, confused.

- Yes..

- Did you do something to make them fear you? You seem pretty harmless to me.

The redhead averted his eyes.

- Maybe.. When I first started school, I was still so upset over my parents' death, I would snap at random and I made it clear I didn't want anyone to bother me.. If someone showed me some new toy they'd gotten from their parents, I would unconsciously start thinking about the fact that I had no parents to buy me such things.. and the toy would break from being squeezed too hard... As time went, people.. started spreading this rumor about me.. about me being unapproachable... I think that's how it all started.. This rumor also has affected my life in this orphanage, which is why I can't wait to get out.. As it is, only my siblings have ever been able to understand me.. and that is why I was so surprised when you showed up.

- So that's how it was.. I'm sorry to hear that, Gaara. Maybe I shouldn't have asked..

Gaara, having looked sad while telling his story, shook his head. He suddenly seemed to realize something.

- That was... the most I've ever spoken to someone who's not an adult.., he mumbled more to himself, looking astonished.

Naruto stared blankly as he registered his words, and then his face shifted into a smiling one.

- Maybe I'm good for you?

Gaara blushed, causing Naruto to chuckle.

- It's good, isn't it? Now about your question, I guess one of the reasons I got interested in you and felt that we could become good friends is that we have something in common. I'm also an orphan, you see.

The redhead hastily whipped his head towards him, staring in disbelievement at the overly cheery and energetic boy before him.

- ..Really?

- Yep, but I didn't grow up in an orphanage like you did. I've been living with my aunt, her husband and their daughter, who is the cousin I mentioned earlier. She got married about a year ago and is now living in the little house closest to this building.

- I see..

- If it doesn't bother you, could I ask why you and your siblings were sent here? Naruto inquired, trying not to show how curious he was to know.

- Well.. We had no relatives in Japan who could take care of us, only our sick, old grandmother who said it would be the best solution for us. I'm quite sure she's dead by now..

- I'm sorry.. I don't want to make you think about such things.. I just can't control my curiosity sometimes, Naruto said, scratching his head sheepishly.

- Don't be, it's alright.

- So, where are your room mates?

- They went out.. somewhere, I'm not sure. They don't usually talk to me..

- They think you're some kinda weirdo or something? I'm sure it's just them who are weird! I enjoy talking to you, I totally don't get what their problem is! Naruto exclaimed, but then caught himself before he could continue his outburst.  
- Oh.. maybe you just don't like them?

- No, it's not like that, Gaara replied quickly, looking a bit flustered.

- It's not that I have a problem with anyone here.. Nobody treats me badly and I don't actually mind the privacy they let me have.. They're also a little older than me, so we don't have a lot in common, except for.. you know, being orphans..

- Well, it's kind of like me and you then, Naruto smiled.

- Ah.. I didn't mean to say it like that either...

Gaara was starting to look troubled by his own inability to express himself properly, but as Naruto watched his ever-changing face, he couldn't help bursting into laughter, making Gaara stare at him in question.

- Don't take it so seriously, Gaara. I get what you mean, you just haven't been able to bond with them, so they're still like strangers, right? Naruto said after recovering from his little laughing fit.

The redhead looked down, nodding.

- I still hope we can be friends though.. and maybe I'll help you get a girl some day! Sounds like fun, don't you think? Naruto blurted excitedly.

Gaara hastily looked up, seeming horrified at the mention of girls.

- Um.. No.. I mean, I'm not so good with.. talking to g-girls, Gaara stammered, blushing profusely.

The blonde blinked.

- Uhuh.. I figured as much, because you don't seem like the talkative type, really, even I can tell you're shy! Well.. I'm not gonna lie and say I'm great with girls either, but nobody says I can't help someone else get a girl, right? Or are you not interested at all? Come on, tell me honestly, Gaara, he persisted, giving the other boy's shoulder a little teasing push, his usual goofy grin in place.

- It's.. not really something I've ever thought about.., Gaara admitted.

Naruto stared at him a for a moment to read his expression. Concluding that he most likely was telling the truth, he let out a disappointed sigh.

- Aww, really? Hm.. It's fine I guess, maybe you'll get interested some day... Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you.. I lied to your sister that we've been friends for a long time so she would let me come in.. It sort of just slipped out before I could stop myself, and I was happy that she believed me. So make sure not to let her know we only just met, she wouldn't be able to trust me then, alright?

Gaara hesitated before giving in, obviously not used to lying to his sister.

- ..Yeah, okay.. I think I can keep that fact a secret.

- Good! So, what-

Naruto was interrupted by the door opening.

Turning towards it, he was faced with three teenage boys who looked to be around his age, or a little older. One of them was short with frizzy, black hair and the other two were of medium height, one of them being a dirty blonde with quite visible roots and the third one had exceptionally long, black hair. All three of them were clad in leather jackets, seemed completely caught off-guard to see someone else in the room they shared with Gaara and neither of them looked to be the type of guys one would want to get close to, or even approach. Right that instant it all made sense to Naruto why they hadn't bothered befriending their fourth room mate.

Gaara and Naruto stood up simultaneously as they entered.

- Um.. Hey guys, I'm guessing you're Gaara's room mates. Don't mind me, I'm just a childhood friend paying him a visit. Anyway, I'm about to leave.., Naruto babbled nervously, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and unwelcome.

- ..Well, it was nice talking to you, Gaara, I'll come see you some other time.. Bye! he said before hurrying outside the room, giving his new friend a last wave, then closing the door and turning to walk back downstairs.

"Ugh.. I don't like guys like those.." he thought to himself as he grabbed the umbrella his cousin had forced upon him earlier that morning and quietly took his leave.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Sasuke scratched the back of his head in frustration, getting angry with himself for not coming up with a good way to separate his brother from Reira for a while so that his plans could take action.

"In these kinds of situations it would be really helpful to have the kind of social skills Naruto does."

The truth was that he felt slight envy towards his crush, who usually seemed capable of conveying his feelings and making it easy for other people to understand him. Nobody ever understood Sasuke, he wasn't an 'open' person like Naruto was. Although it was clear the blonde also was a bad liar, Sasuke knew even he would do better at telling a direct lie.

"I couldn't even make the dobe understand how much I like him, that it's not just a small crush that will fade away over time.. How could I try and convince Itachi of doing anything? He's far too perceptive. He won't believe any lie even for a second. Damn! No, I need to think harder.. There _has_ to be some way..."

After a while he lost his patience and decided to distract himself by watching a movie.

About half-way into it, he heard a soft knock on his door. Startled, he paused the movie and turned around to stare at the source of the noise.

- Who is it? he questioned.

There was a short moment of silence on the other end, before he heard the one voice he loathed.

- Sasuke-kun, it's Reira. Can I come in?

- ..Sure, he said, trying to sound as natural as he could while his insides were seething.

"But this is a great chance to make her talk," he realized, resisting the urge to smirk as the woman his brother was married to carefully entered his room and closed the door behind her.

- You can sit here, he told her, rather unwillingly patting the spot next to him on the couch he was seated on.

Reira quietly obeyed, all the while nervously glancing at the boy from the corner of her eye.

- Thank you, Sasuke-kun. You sure have a nice room, don't you, she complimented, her elegant smile in place as she sat down, taking her time to appreciate the spacey area.

- Thanks.. So, was there anything you wanted to talk about? Sasuke inquired, not wanting to waste time and just get straight down to business.

Reira's facial expression shifted all of a sudden and she appeared.. guilty-looking?

The raven-haired boy watched her intently as she folded her hands in her lap, his attention once again drawn to the circles under her eyes, which were currently illuminated by the lamp situated directly above her and thus could be seen considerably easier than before.

- Actually I... I just wanted to spend some time with my husband's little brother, Reira replied, sounding very unearnest and avoiding eye contact, which made Sasuke raise a brow.

"She's no better than me at lying.."

- Aha.. But why alone? Where's Itachi? he began interrogating her.

- He.. He wanted me to come here alone.. and I've heard you two aren't on very good terms.

- So it was his idea?

- N-.. Yes, she admitted, blushing slightly.  
But I thought it was a good idea, I don't want us to be like strangers.. Don't you agree, Sasuke-kun?

She suddenly turned to face him with that smile again, which caught him off-guard and made him quickly avert his eyes.

- Uh.. Yeah, he responded, sweat-dropping.

"Like hell.. I won't let you lie like that and think you'll get away with it."

- Reira-san.. Are you really telling the truth?

Her eyes widened at the accusation and her smile faded. Just as she was about to reply, the door to Sasuke's room opened once again and Itachi came out of nowhere, surprising both of them.

- Ah, that's where you were. I finished talking to my father and then when I asked mother where you went she said you just disappeared.. I searched everywhere.. To think I'd find you here of all places.

But there was no panic in Itachi's voice. Strangely enough he seemed as calm as ever, as if he was putting on an act and had known from the start where he would be finding his wife.

- Itachi-san! Reira exclaimed and rushed over to him, still, of course, being as graceful as she could in doing so, a disgusted Sasuke noted to himself.

- I'm sorry I worried you! I just wanted to talk to your little brother a bit.

- Oh, don't worry about it. Sasuke, you've behaved well, right? Itachi asked, winking jokingly towards the younger Uchiha.

Sasuke just glared at him.

- Yes, he's very kind, Reira quickly assured her husband.  
- But we should leave him alone now, I think I've bothered him enough. Teenagers should be allowed privacy.

- Alright, we'll see you when it's time for dinner then, Sasuke, Itachi agreed, having read the mood, and then they left, Reira in an awful hurry to get out, though she obviously tried to hide it best as she could.

The raven boy scratched his chin absently, lost in thoughts.

"Unlucky that Itachi would show up.. It looked like she was about to reveal something.. But man, it sure was stupid of her to think that Itachi wouldn't come searching for her and telling me something like 'it was his idea'.. If she's always like that, I might just be able to deal with this one. Only problem is that now she won't want to talk to me for a while, having been caught lying.."

His thoughts trailed off. With nothing better to do, he finished the movie he'd been watching before Reira had come, all the while distracted and thinking of ways to make her talk.

Two hours later, he once again found himself at the abandoned playground Itachi had always used to accompany him to.

"I keep coming back here.. It's so nostalgic.. Too bad real life doesn't have happy endings like movies do.. Some people are just too naive to see it."

Despite himself, he couldn't help smiling fondly at the memory of a younger version of Itachi helping him build figures in the sandbox that used to lie a couple of meters away from the worn-out swings, a spot which was currently nothing but mud temporarily covered by a thin layer of snow. As he caught up with reality, his smile turned into a scowl and he was struck by a sudden surge of anger.

- Damn it! I hate this place! he exclaimed, punching the metal bar which kept the swings in place, ready to ignore the pain of his swelling hand.

With a defeated sigh, he sunk down to the ground, leaning against the metal bar.

"So I say.. and yet I always come back..." he thought, a bitter smile now marring his otherwise beautiful features.

* * *

**Quite a short and really boring chappie, huh. Sorry, I hadn't originally intended to stop there, but I just didn't know how to continue. So as you see, I'm saving 'the story of Reira' for the next chappie. At least I managed to include much of Gaara. :D I know he's OOC too, but I changed him so that he has, or at least in my mind he has, a very cute personality, being so shy about everything. It's easier this way for me.**

**Ugh.. I'm seriously running out of 'decent' titles for my chappies. Well, I never really liked mine to begin with, but it's kind of fun still, to come up with a name for every chappie.**

**Oh yeah, there are three OCs here, though I promised there would be no more of those. Well, by 'no more OCs' I meant more like 'no more OCs that matter or play any big parts or appear many times' ... Those three were simply there to show what kind of people Gaara is living with. It's likely that they won't appear again, so they also won't be properly introduced, just mentioned a couple of times. But no worries, they don't bully Gaara or anything, they're better than they seem. They just let him 'mind his own business' since he's the awkward kid no other kids at the orphanage really wanna get close to.**

**Seems like the season in real life has caught up, lol. Now the story is behind!**

**READ: The problem is that I will from now on, more than ever, have some serious lack of time to even think about where the story is going for a while. I have some extremely important exams coming up and gosh, they're making me nervous already. **

**But I also get excited, thinking about the wonderful day when I can finish the story and begin rewriting the parts which have been bugging me, now that I've managed to improve my writing a little. Can't believe this was my very first fic, and I still haven't finished it. Hehe. Well, I'm going to work as hard as possible on it during summer, after graduating from my gymnasium. Ack, graduation feels so unrealistic.. But before things get way hectic with the exams, there's one day I'm looking forward to... And after that, my life will be hell for a while.**

**Anway, enough of that stuff. As I said, next chappie won't be coming for a while, but you guys are already used to waiting when it comes to this story, so it's not like anyone is expecting quick updates, and you might not have to wait all that much longer than you usually do. In any case, I really hope you won't drop the story just because it's on hiatus for a little while D:**

**The positive thing is that after chappie 17 is out things will likely start progressing quickly, both the story itself and the updates (at least compared to how slowly I've been updating lately)! I'm guessing this story will overall be about 22-23 chappies long, and I'm also planning to write a oneshot sequel. Anyone interested in that? It'll probably be M-rated ;)**

**Remember: I love you just for following the story! Every fan is appreciated and I do read every review I get, especially since I don't get so many. Regardless, they make me really happy and let me know that you guys like the story and sometimes _why_ you like it! It always makes my day getting positive feedback! And also thankies to those who have added the story or me to alerts/favorites! ^.^**

**See you in spring/summer.. Bye for now!**


	17. Secrets Unveiled

**Chapter 17: _'Secrets Unveiled'_**

Sasuke wasn't sure if it was just him who felt that way or if the atmosphere around the dinner table really was tense. He assumed it was the latter, if the silence was anything to go by. Glancing between Itachi and Reira, he couldn't discern either of their thoughts, which only served to annoy him further.

Just as he was about to bore his eyes into Reira for probably the tenth time that evening, his father cleared his throat loudly, to which the beautiful blonde jumped, completely startled at the sudden sound. Sasuke raised a brow, his probing orbs never leaving the strangely jumpy woman. He watched in confusion as Itachi squeezed his wife's hand, giving her a reassuring smile, to which she replied with a smile of her own, though an evidently strained one.

"What's going on?"

Before his thoughts could proceed any further, Fugaku spoke up.

- As promised, is there something you two would like to tell us? he asked, not having to look up to face the two, since they all knew who he was referring to.

Reira's nervous glance shifted towards Sasuke for a brief moment, who stared back in utter bewilderment.

Fugaku caught the exchange and sighed.

- Don't mind Sasuke, I think he has the right to hear the story as well. Don't you agree?

His question was directed towards Itachi, who nodded in agreement without hesitation.

- He's right, Reira.

"Does this mean what I think it means..? They're finally going to tell the truth? And it seems I'm not the only one who has been impatient all this time.."

The raven boy did not have much time to ponder his revelation. As his brother started talking, he turned all his attention to him, everything else forgotten for the moment.

- Right. I suppose I should start from the beginning, mostly for Sasuke's sake.

The entire Uchiha family listened intently as the elder brother began his story. Reira just looked down at her plate.

- Like I told you years ago, Reira and I left to go to Tokyo and while we were there, we got married. What I didn't tell you was the story of how we met, why we left so suddenly and why we decided to keep you in the dark until now. You see, Reira has told me that Konoha was the home town of her father, which was why, four years ago, she and her father were here on a visit. Her father wanted to show his daughter who grew up in the city what his home town, which he was so proud of, looked like. That was when I and Reira met. It was such a beautiful, sunny day that I decided to take a detour before heading home and went to the park. As I sat on a bench, relaxing and just enjoying the summer air, I heard two people talking. I didn't pay much attention to the conversation, but I noticed that the girl who walked alongside the older man was loosely holding a hat in her hand and she didn't realize when the phone she had placed inside of her hat fell to the ground. She just kept walking, completely engrossed with the conversation. Feeling obliged to let the girl know, I went to pick up the phone and caught up with the pair. As I returned the phone, I couldn't help being drawn in by her sweet smile and expressive eyes. I know it sounds silly when I put it into words, but that's how I felt and I didn't want to leave right away.

Itachi smiled fondly at the memory, before taking a deep breath to continue his tale.

- After she thanked me, we actually talked for a while, about mundane things such as the weather and whatnot, and believe it or not, something just.. clicked very quickly. I think her father sensed the atmosphere, because he left us alone for a while, which almost went unnoticed by both of us. Reira trusted me enough to even give me her number before we parted ways and that was how we started keeping contact. But after only a week, her father was called back to Tokyo due to work-related business and claimed that he could no longer stay in Konoha. Reira, who refused to go home that quickly, was given permission to stay a week longer. Of course, at the time, she had no idea what was actually going on with her father. But we'll come back to that later. Anyway, it didn't take long for me and Reira to officially start dating and that was when I introduced you to her.

Setsuna nodded absently, thinking back on the day she'd first met Reira, which was still clear in her head.

_- Mother, this is Reira, Reira, meet my mother, Itachi announced proudly, gesturing between the two gorgeous women standing in the hallway._

_Setsuna greeted the young woman politely, shaking hands and pushing aside the slight uneasiness she was feeling for some unknown reason. Then she watched as her son introduced his girlfriend to her ever-scrutinizing husband. Knowing what his usual behavior consisted of, she unconsciously let out a quiet sigh of relief at the fact that Fugaku decided against making any unnecessary comments. Although she had never said it out loud, she'd always hated when he would turn the mood awkward with his criticism. _

_- So, when did you two meet? she asked in earnest curiosity._

_- I think it's been about a week, Itachi replied, his eyes never leaving Reira. _

_- I see.._

_The Uchiha lady watched her son thoughtfully, noticing a sparkle in his eyes which she had never seen before. She couldn't help the smile forming on her lips._

"_He seems to care a lot about her already," was the thought running through her mind._

_Setsuna couldn't deny that the 19-year-old girl in front of her was a refined beauty who seemed, at least at first glance, worthy of the brilliant, young Uchiha. Of course that didn't mean she didn't want to know more about her and her family before she was willing to truly give her blessings though. And she was determined to find out more. _

_However, the day didn't turn out quite as she had expected. _

_She went upstairs to tell Sasuke that they were having a guest, wanting him to join them for tea, but the 12-year-old was lying in bed, coughing, and it turned out that he was suffering from a high fever. After learning this, Setsuna became worried and decided to stay with her younger son for the day. And so she went to tell the rest of her family and Reira what the situation was. _

_- Ah, is that so? I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he'll recover soon, Reira said, a worried look crossing over her face as she stood up from the comfortable sofa in the living room.  
__- I should probably be heading home.., she added._

_- No, you just came! Don't worry about it and feel free to enjoy some tea with my husband and son, Setsuna was quick to interject, but Reira shook her head._

_- It's okay.. Actually, I almost forgot, but I'm expecting a call from my father today. He wants to check up on me, so it's no problem. I can always come over some other time, if you'd like me to._

_The blonde smiled to show that she really didn't mind her visit being cut short. _

_Setsuna hesitated only for a minute, before politely returning the smile._

_- Of course you're welcome any time. Itachi, don't forget to invite her again soon, she demanded, turning to her son._

_Said son chuckled._

_- Don't worry, I will, he assured her._

But the next time Setsuna and Fugaku had met Reira had been a few days later, when Itachi suddenly claimed that the two of them were going to Tokyo and that he didn't know when he would be returning. The only reason his father had agreed to such rushed plans was that Itachi had promised to start attending Tokyo university. Setsuna had not been pleased with the lack of explanation they'd received, but Fugaku had made up his mind to let his son go and she'd felt that she had no other choice but to support him as well.

Back in the present, Itachi took a long break as he pondered how to continue. But a tap on his arm caught his attention and he turned to his wife, who was looking at him with a familiar spark of determination in her eyes.

- Itachi, please let me continue, she pleaded.

That caused him to stare at her in slight shock.

- Are you sure? he asked hesitantly.

Reira's eyes met the other three Uchiha family members briefly, before she nodded at her husband.

- Yes, I want to do it, she said, her voice full of resolve.

Sasuke kept staring at them in confusion, but his heartbeats quickened as they got closer to telling the truth which he had wanted to know for so long.

- Actually, Reira began, once again looking down.  
- This would have been hard to discuss years ago, but I've learned to accept it now, so I feel that I should be able to do it. As you know, Itachi and I became close rather quickly and as a result, I was planning to stay in Konoha for at least a week longer by myself, but in the end, I was only here for about ten days altogether, because I got a shocking phone call from my mother. She.. She was crying hysterically when she told me that my father.. my father had just been taken to the hospital due to a sudden heart attack. I.. I wasn't even aware that he was sick, but I found out once I got there that he was dying. And he had never told me anything about it..

Sasuke, Setsuna and Fugaku were all taken aback. Setsuna's eyes were full of sympathy and even Sasuke let himself feel bad about the news. It was hard to tell how Fugaku felt about it though.

- ..So now you can guess why we went to Tokyo so suddenly. Itachi wanted to come with me as support and I was in too much shock to object to anything. We left right after letting you know. My father's condition was, as I said, really bad, but that wasn't even everything. There were also hospital bills which needed to be paid while he was there, but they were too much for my small, middle class family to handle.. which led to Itachi insisting to pay the bills.. and eventually I let him..

Noticing her look of shame, Itachi interrupted her.

- Yes, although Reira almost refused to let me pay them, I didn't give up, and in the end, she let me do it, but of course, not before promising that she'll pay back some day.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes then at his wife's stubbornness. Obviously, he didn't want her to feel indebted to him, but he knew it was important to her.

- Anyway, he continued, figuring that she had said what she wanted to say.  
- ..For about two months, the doctors were able to keep her father, Arata-san, alive and in the mean time, I got to know him, and seeing how much I cared about Reira, Arata-san accepted me as his 'son-in-law', as he called me. But when he started feeling his end approaching, he told me honestly that he'd always wanted to see his daughter get married. He even said that it was his last wish. Of course I knew what he was implying and I couldn't refuse him, so I proposed to Reira, who was surprised but accepted the offer. The wedding ceremony was held two weeks later, close to the hospital, with only about five guests, and not long after that, we had to say goodbye to Arata-san.

Both Itachi and Reira kept their heads down, a sad smile playing over Itachi's lips as he once again squeezed his wife's hand, while Reira, who returned the gesture, had an unreadable expression.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Naruto watched uninterestedly as his friend imitated his action of leaning up against the outer wall of the orphanage, letting out a sigh of boredom.

- I do like snow and Christmas and all.., but honestly, winter can be so boring. There's not really anywhere you wanna go when it's this cold.., he said, shrugging hopelessly.

In truth, that day wasn't very cold, but rather on the warm side, taking the season into account. The air was also still around them and the breaths the blond exhaled as he spoke barely even created any hints of fog.

Gaara was quiet for a minute before replying.

- That's true, I guess.. But then why are we outside? he questioned, glancing at the other boy from the corner of his eye, not really looking as if he cared about the answer either way.

- Well.. it was getting kinda suffocating, you know? I just wanted to go out for moment, Naruto explained, scratching the back of his head in a familiar motion.  
- ..But of course, we can go back inside if you want.. I just kinda dragged you out without asking, he added, blushing awkwardly at his own boldness.

The redhead slowly shook his head, a thoughtful expression replacing the previously blank one.

- No, I'm fine with it.

Naruto said nothing then, preferring to just quietly gaze at his friend and try to analyze what his current expression could mean.

"He seems like he wants to ask something, but I'm just never sure when it comes to Gaara.."

Shrugging a little to himself, he absently took off his glasses, inspecting them for any dirt and fogginess, and at the same time, he tugged out a piece of his shirt from underneath his jacket, beginning to roughly clean the specs off, despite the fact that they weren't particularly dirty in any way. It was just another habit. In the meantime, Gaara watched him intently with a look that resembled curiosity, which made Naruto pause in his action, returning his full attention to the other boy and tilting his head in question. But Gaara blushed and looked away hastily upon being caught staring. The blond smiled fondly at his display of shyness, before finishing his task of cleaning his glasses, refraining from putting them back on and just letting them dangle in his hand instead.

"Sometimes he reminds me of Hyuuga-chan."

- Gaara, is there something you want to ask me? he finally wondered out loud.

- No, it's nothing important, Gaara responded, still not facing him.

- Oh come on, you can ask me anything! Now tell me!

He was starting to get really curious, which was evident with the glittering of his now fully visible blue eyes, and he was unable to control himself.

- I-I was just wondering... about your glasses, Gaara began, glancing at the mentioned object.  
- I've never seen such glasses being used to correct bad sight, so.. maybe they're decorative?

Naruto, not having expected such a simple question, blinked at him as he let the words register.

- Ah, these? Hah, I wish. They're not exactly something you'd wear as a decoration.. But.. my eye-sight is actually perfect, he admitted.

It was his turn to avert his eyes and Gaara's to look at him in confusion.

- I won't ask anything more if you don't want me to..

The older of the two looked down at his feet for a moment, not quite sure what to say.

- It's alright, I'll tell you the reason I wear them if you want, he decided at last, already feeling deep trust in his new friend to the point of being able to reveal a family secret. After all, why would someone as reserved as Gaara tell something like that to anyone?

He glanced at the other boy, looking for confirmation. Gaara only gave a short, slightly hesitant nod and Naruto assumed he just didn't want to be a burden, but the blond had already decided to reveal the truth to him and felt no regret in his decision.

"It should be alright if it's just Gaara.."

And so he told the story of how his mother had died, his aunt's reaction to her death and how she had acted around him before he'd begun wearing the ridiculously large glasses to shield his eyes on a regular basis.

- I can't blame her though, if there's anyone to blame for anything, it's me.., he finished bitterly.

Gaara had kept his gaze on him throughout the entire story and once again, he put on a thoughtful expression. However, Naruto did not even notice it this time, as he was too caught up in his own dark thoughts. That didn't stop Gaara from voicing his opinion though.

- I don't think you can call it someone's fault. Accidents happen all the time and I'm sure that if we were to try and look for a scapegoat, someone to blame, there would always exist such a person.. but an accident is an accident. That was how I lost my parents and also how you lost your mother. There is no need to blame yourself, because you're as little at fault as I am. Also, this might be none of my business, but I think you should talk to your aunt about this. You shouldn't have to live your whole life with those glasses if you don't want to.

Naruto shifted his gaze towards him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered the insightful statement. Had the subject of discussion been anything else, he would have been surprised at how mature Gaara was. As it was though, his mind was just too distracted to pick up on it.

- No.. It's fine. I'm so used to them by now that it doesn't even matter much. They're just a pair of glasses after all.

- That's beside the point! Gaara pressed on, his voice suddenly sounding sort of.. irritated?

It was very unlike him to get passionate about something, or so Naruto thought.

- G-Gaara?

- From the sounds of, it's like you're trying to hide away the one thing your mother left behind for you.. I don't know about you, but if I had such a thing, I'd do my best to treasure it. If your looks remind people of your mother, that's something you should be proud of, not ashamed.. no matter what other people may say.

Naruto found himself at a loss for words. The way Gaara viewed things was from a completely different perspective, one which he had never even once considered himself. But still, as much as he deep down had known for a long time that the issue could not be avoided forever, he also knew that he was not ready to confront his aunt about it yet. And what he really had to do first, he finally understood, was to sort out his own feelings about the whole situation. To be more precise, he needed to get over his guilt, which was something he'd thought to be impossible, since he really always had felt responsible for his mother's death, but surprisingly, he realized that Gaara proved to be the right person to help him overcome it. All thanks to some very honest and insightful words, Naruto now felt a spark of hope within him, that he possibly would be able to move on some day and not always be stuck in the same spot, the same trail of guilty thoughts. All thanks to his new friend. He certainly hadn't picked the wrong person to become friends with.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

Silence once again reigned in the room after the eldest Uchiha son had uttered those bitter words, nobody feeling compelled to break it until it became almost unbearable. And Sasuke was the one to take the initiative this time, since everyone else seemed unable to say anything.

- But Itachi, that doesn't exactly explain why you didn't keep contact, he reasoned, trying not to be too impatient.

Four heads turned to face him as if they'd only just realized that he was also among them. Itachi cleared his throat and threw a quick glance at Reira before resuming the tale.

- I'm getting to that part now. After.. that unfortunate incident, Reira didn't want to leave her mother's side, mainly because she had gone into depression and needed someone to look after her. And I, naturally, didn't want to leave Reira, which led to me moving in with the two of them and living there while I attended university. As for why we didn't tell you this before.. Well, I wanted to tell you in person. Seeing as they're such personal matters, discussing it over the phone seemed.. wrong. I also don't think Reira was ready to talk about it, especially as she felt ashamed of having accepted money for the hospital fees, even though I've told her many times that it's nothing to worry about.., and I felt no need to push her into it too soon, but I did want her to be a part of the conversation too. Other than that, we simply didn't want to worry you too much, so we decided to keep quiet about it all until everything was resolved and we were ready to go back to Konoha. And about your question, Sasuke, I don't have any good excuse.. It's just that I was afraid of calling too often because I knew you all wanted to know the truth and under that pressure, I could easily have budged and told you a little too much. I also would have missed you more than I already did, which is a selfish reason, but it's the truth and I can't change that. I did call home a few times, but I now regret not having requested to talk to Sasuke, seeing as it has caused him to be much more distant towards me than he used to be. I was being selfish and not thinking of how it would have made you feel.. I can't take it back, but I am really sorry about that.

Sasuke said nothing, not knowing how to react, as his brother looked down in guilt and Reira watched him with a worried frown, which went unnoticed by him as he appeared lost in thought. She seemed to see that as a sign for her to speak instead of him.

- But the positive thing is that everything is fine now. My mother is back to normal. Of course, she misses father, but we have both learned to accept the fact that he's gone now. It just took a little more time for her. She's been insisting for a long time that I should go and live with Itachi wherever I want and not be bothered with her, but I couldn't take her words seriously when she looked like that. Not before I really felt that she would manage on her own did I suggest to Itachi that we should go back to Konoha. The truth is, I really like this village and want to live here as much as Itachi does.. And I really wanted to invite Itachi's family to our wedding, but everything was so rushed that we didn't even have time to think of how we would explain our sudden plans to you.

She smiled apologetically, glancing between Fugaku and Setsuna as she waited expectantly for their reply. They could both tell that she desperately wanted to be accepted by her husband's family. Even Sasuke could. He realized that she was really trying and was a sincere person by nature, and that made him like her just a tad bit better, not that he would admit it though.

Fugaku kept his arms crossed, never letting his gaze waver as he watched the young woman with that usual stern scowl on his face. Setsuna was also looking at her intently, but unlike her husband, she basically radiated sympathy towards her. It was all evident in her eyes.

- Oh dear, I.. I'm sorry for your loss.., though it's a relief to hear that your mother has recovered. But I really do wish you would have relied on us and not handled it by yourselves.. If only I'd known... However, it's in the past now. It's wonderful that you've decided to stay in Konoha and of course, you're welcome to live with us as long as you want. Also, please don't worry about not inviting us to the wedding, it couldn't be helped. I understand and I'm sure Fugaku and Sasuke do too. I would love to see a picture though, if it's possible..?

She had a hopeful gleam in her eyes now and Reira's smile turned notably happier.

- Of course! How could I forget? I'm really sorry for the trouble I've caused and I want to repay you for your kindness, so I figured the least I can do is bring you some photographs from the wedding. They are still packed down in my luggage, but I can fetch them for you if you wish, she replied and seemed enthusiastic to show said pictures.

- Ah, I'd love that! But let's finish eating first. I think we've done so much talking now that it's getting cold, Setsuna said, so pleased with the response that she actually appeared to not care too much about what had happened to the food she'd put a lot of effort into making.

As the youngest Uchiha glanced between his brother and father, he wasn't surprised to see Itachi smiling fondly at the drastic change of mood, but what shocked him was the fact that even Fugaku had something akin to a smile ghost over his lips, if only for a few seconds. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. Maybe there was something special about Reira after all, to make Fugaku of all people show such an expression.

For a brief, magical moment, everything seemed right in the world to Sasuke.. Well, _almost_ everything. There was still that problem between him and Naruto weighing him down. And he hadn't completely forgiven his brother yet. But that could be dealt with later. Now he just wanted to free his mind of pessimistic thoughts and feel content with his life for once. And so he did.

* * *

**Yup. So that was that. It took slightly longer than I'd planned to get this up, but it feels great to finally be taking the story off hiatus. A****nd this part with Reira is something I've been wanting to 'put down on paper' for a long time. Would also be nice to hear some opinions on it.. just saying.**

**Haa.. I know what I said at the end of the last chappie, but I still have some things to sort out in real life before I can speed things up with the updates too much. This means, although the story is going off hiatus, I have no clue as for now when the next chappie will be up. I'll try not to make you wait too long though.. And I'll force myself into becoming more active with writing once I've sorted my real life business out.. I mean it this time ._.**

**Now here's a reply for another unsigned review by someone called Elluna:**

**I understand what you're trying to say very well and I have used the way of writing that you mentioned in all my other stories. Yep, the quote marks, italics and all that. Trust me, it feels a lot less awkward for me to write that way now too. I've actually already mentioned this in an author's note before, so it would be nice if you'd go back and read it. I'll repeat myself though. It's just that this was the first fanfic I ever started working on and this writing style felt most natural to me back then.. This may have to do with the fact that English is not my main language. However, I know for sure that using dashes as 'speech lines' is a valid way of writing a story (though I'm unsure whether that's the case with the English language, since everyone else always uses quote marks for speech on here..) Like I've said before, I want to continue the same style until the end. I'm not changing it _yet, _even if some people might not like that. If that bothers you, I suggest that you should wait until I've finished and rewritten the story to continue reading further, as I'm planning to change the style and fix all my errors then. And as for the beta thing; I've thought about it, but I'm not sure. I want to try my best on my own first. Thanks for the tips and positive words though, I appreciate you taking your time to write a proper review. :)**

**Alright, so the next chappie will be focusing mostly on Naru-chan's feelings towards Sasuke. You'll see what I mean when the time comes. Don't worry, I definitely haven't forgotten the main purpose of the story – in fact, I'm eager to get to those parts! :D **

**Until next time everyone! :3**


	18. My Confused Heart Yearns for You

**One little warning for this chappie: It's slightly.. angsty at one point, so be prepared for that ^^"**

**Chapter 18: _'My Confused Heart Yearns for You'_**

**Naruto's PoV****:**

Exiting a convenience store, which happened to be the one closest to his cousin's house, Naruto unwrapped and put the only thing he'd been able to afford for the moment in his mouth. It was a strawberry-flavored piece of gum. Chewing thoughtfully, he placed his hands in his pockets, beginning to walk back.

He had been on his way home from his daily, relatively uneventful visit to Imamura Orphanage when he'd suddenly felt the strong urge to eat something sweet, which had landed him in his current location.

Truthfully, he wasn't in any particular hurry to get back, though he knew that if he stayed out for too long, Minami would start worrying as she always did. The problem, however, was Yuiko. He felt like she was constantly watching him, secretly being cheeky and winking at him, waiting for her parents to be far away enough not to hear whatever she wanted to discuss with him. And of course, it was _always _about Sasuke. She constantly seemed to have something new to add. Naruto knew she did that to grate on his nerves and he could only be relieved about the fact that she at least had the conscience not to reveal anything unnecessary to Minami or Satoshi. Regardless of what he told her, she'd made it clear that she wouldn't leave him alone until he actually were to call his friend and have a talk. But that was a problem in itself. Even if he did call, he'd just feel awkward and not know what to say to Sasuke. For one thing, he hadn't even figured out what the boy really meant to him. He didn't think Yuiko's strange, seemingly unfounded suspicions were correct or had _any _truth in them, but he had to make sure somehow. He had to prove to his persistent cousin and himself that he did not have any feelings beyond friendship for another boy. But how was he supposed to do that?

As he felt the frustration he'd bottled up the entire day rise again, he accidentally bit his tongue chewing too hard on the gum, resulting in a loud curse. What was worse was that he felt like the pain and slight bleeding of his tongue was a bad omen, like something was about to change. He could only hope it was paranoia kicking in and nothing else.

**Sasuke's PoV:**

He hadn't planned to loose his composure or anything around that.. irritating woman, but that didn't change the regrettable fact that he'd snapped at her. He knew that it didn't do any good to yell at her to leave him alone, he knew that he was only worrying her more. However, something about that woman just made it hard for him to compose himself. She was so unbearably.. nosey. At first, he'd thought she just wanted to act like she cared more than she really did about her husband's little brother, though after witnessing her persistent nature, he could tell that she was definitely sincere and she also had something in common with Itachi. Not only was she nosey, she was also observant. Apparently, she had noticed that something was eating away at Sasuke and she wanted him to open up to her so she could 'help' him. She was right of course, he was indeed troubled by his feelings for a certain blond. But he didn't want her help, not that she could even do anything that would assist him in the first place, and even more so, he certainly didn't want to reveal _anything_ about Naruto to her.

Thus, he'd found himself escaping Reira's clutches with the excuse of going to the grocery store to buy something. He wanted the fresh air anyway, so it couldn't hurt. It was just so much easier to think when he was outside. Winter break was almost over and he was anxiously anticipating seeing his best friend again. He missed him incredibly much, but was afraid he would freak the other boy out if he showed it too easily. He felt stressed and didn't know any effective way to calm his nerves.

"I wonder if I should call him.. or that would bother him, wouldn't it?"

As he walked and pondered his options, he came across a little homely coffee shop which he could vaguely recognize. At first, he couldn't place his finger on why he recognized it. Stopping in front of it, a memory came to him. It hadn't even been that long since, how could he possibly have forgotten? It was the place Naruto had dragged him to along with their classmates when they had a free lesson some time ago. Great, just what he needed, another reminder of his blond friend. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he happened to spot a lovey dovey couple sitting at one of the tables in the back, right in front of him on the other side of the glass. They were chatting away happily, the woman trying to feed the man, who laughed and brushed her off jokingly. Sasuke hadn't meant to stare, but he couldn't help it as the image of the unknown couple faded in his glazed eyes and was replaced with the image of himself and Naruto. Even knowing it was impossible, part of him evidently still wanted to live in a fantasy world where his love was mutual and they were both unconditionally happy together.

Happiness. A dangerous word which should not ever be overused or taken for granted. That was something the raven boy had learned a long time ago, but like most human beings, he still yearned for it.

He could barely register rushing back home and passing by Reira to enter his room, every motion being mechanical. His thoughts were elsewhere all along as his mind was just a huge jumble focused on one person only: Naruto.

Lying curled up in bed, he didn't even hear the knock on his door, nor did he notice the lone tear which fell and landed on his pillow. The feeling he felt was frighteningly familiar, yet different. He felt.. lonely, so lonely it made him shiver, chilled to the bone. Why didn't the person he loved so much understand? Why did he keep running away? Why.. why didn't he ever open up to him? Did he not trust him? Did he not think of him as a friend?

His head spun with questions as he saw Naruto in front of him; his carefree, smiling face, which turned into a confused frown and finally, the sight of him hopelessly crying and looking terrified. The last image showed such a small and helpless-looking Naruto, Sasuke had to strain himself in order to recognize him as the same person he'd thought he knew.

The distressed teen hugged himself tighter, shutting his eyes harshly, fruitlessly trying to shut out the heartbreaking image. He wanted to be the one to comfort Naruto, he wanted to be the one closest to him, he wanted to know everything about him. It tore at his heart not only knowing he could never be that person, but also knowing his best friend, his first and probably last love still kept important secrets from him. He'd been aware of the blond's secrecy for a long time, but not before now did it truly sink in and affect him negatively. Depressing thoughts were prone to revealing other depressing truths after all. Maybe, just maybe, he had unconsciously been avoiding said truth, already having had his hands full with his own feelings. But thinking of it like that made him feel selfish. Who was he to expect Naruto to tell everything to him, when _he _himself kept secrets from him? Why didn't he think of _Naruto_'s feelings instead of his own? How could he be so self-centered?

He was so overwhelmed as the feelings which had previously been suppressed washed over him like an ice-cold shower, he almost felt as if he was going to be sick.

A very concerned Reira quietly stepped into the teenager's room, not having received a reply after knocking three times. She knew whatever was bothering him was none of her business, but she simply couldn't watch someone suffer without doing anything to help. The first thing she saw upon entering was said teen curled up into fetal position on his bed, his head buried into his pillow and his entire body shivering violently.

- Sasuke-kun? she called carefully.

He didn't budge.

Reira slowly shook her head, watching him sadly as she walked up to his bed and sat down on the edge. Hesitating only slightly, she reached out to pat his back in a comforting motion.

Sasuke started, sitting up instantly at the touch. His eyes were wide and his heart was beating frantically. He'd finally woken from his long daze.

- R-Reira-san? he uncharacteristically stuttered, beyond confused.

- Yes, Sasuke-kun? Is there still not anything you would like to tell me? she asked, smiling warmly, almost motherly at him, trying to show him that he could confide in her.

Sasuke looked down, willing his frantic heart to calm itself as he considered her suggestion. He finally realized that he really needed to talk to someone about his problems, but he still wasn't convinced to do it. Briefly thinking back to his younger days, he could remember those many times he'd told Shizune a small secret such as, for instance, having broken a vase or something similar and how his mother would always talk to him about it soon after he'd revealed the truth to Shizune. It had been obvious to him even back then that the maid simply wasn't capable of keeping a secret, which was why, as he'd grown older, he'd completely stopped telling her anything he didn't want Setsuna to find out about. But then again, Reira wasn't Shizune. She frankly seemed more reliable than his curious, gossip-loving childhood friend in some ways. There was still a problem though. Sasuke didn't know how to open up to people. He didn't know where to start.. He just didn't know anything about these things.

Soon, however, once Reira managed lead him into start talking, he found it not to be a problem at all. Everything seemed to flow naturally as he told Reira about his one-sided love, choosing only to leave out some details like his love interest's gender and a few things that had happened between them that felt too private to discuss. He could hardly believe it himself how easy it was to talk to her. All she had to do was to ask a simple question and he would answer it, elaborating as much as what felt natural to him. She didn't interrupt him, she just listened, nodding occasionally to show her indulgence. He was able to trust her more than he'd ever trusted anyone before, which felt comforting.

- So basically, this person is taking your feelings lightly, am I right? Reira asked when it became quiet.

- Yeah, but.. I'm not even sure that's the problem anymore. I mean, I think they are troubled by something big, and here I am, just thinking about myself.. This finally became clear to me today for some reason. I don't even know why I haven't seen it before..

The beautiful blonde gave him a sympathetic smile.

- Well.. When you're troubled yourself by many things, it may not be as easy to notice the sufferings of those around you. Maybe you realizing it only now has to do with the fact that you seem to be rid of one problem that has been weighing you down lately, making you able to focus all your attention on your love interest and their well-being?

Sasuke thought about it. It made sense, but he still felt awful.

- So, what do you think I should do?

Reira was lost in thought for a moment before responding. She was really taking this seriously, the young Uchiha noted.

- I think you need to have a good, long conversation with this person. You need to let them know that they can trust you, the way you're trusting me right now by telling me all of this. After all, why would they open up if you don't make an effort to listen? Just like there are no chances of you having opened up to me if I hadn't kept being persistent. But it's your own choice, of course, and you should do things at your own pace... No need to rush into things you're not ready for.

Sasuke took in her advice slowly, considering it.

"She's right, I can't just keep running from this. I need to have a serious talk with Naruto as soon as he returns.."

- Thanks, Reira-san. I think I know what to do now. You've.. been a great help, he admitted, averting his eyes a bit bashfully.

She gave him a huge, dazzling smile in return.

- No problem! I'm glad I could be of help! Just ask if there's anything else you want to talk about some time.

"Maybe the only thing I really needed was someone who could listen.. I shouldn't have been so stubborn from the start..," he thought, smiling slighty at Reira as she made her way towards the door, clearly pleased with the outcome of the conversation.

The last thing the woman saw before she closed the door to give the boy some privacy was a much more composed teen picking up his cellphone to dial a number.

**Naruto's PoV:**

Just as he started dragging himself up the stairs to the small porch, Naruto felt his phone vibrate in his pocket only a second before it started ringing, causing him to jump a little, since he hadn't gotten any calls in over a week and barely was aware of having brought the object with him.

Fishing it out, he frowned in slight surprise as he saw the name on the screen.

- Sasuke? Hi, he greeted awkwardly after bringing the phone to his ear.

- ..Ah, hey, the person on the other line replied in an equally awkward fashion.

- How's it going? the blond asked, trying to act normal despite suddenly feeling nervous for seemingly no reason at all.

- Everything's fine with me.. How are things in Kyoto?

- Same.. I like it here, but I'm starting to miss Konoha after being away for almost two weeks.. Haha, he chuckled stiffly, shifting the phone over to his other ear as he entered the familiar hallway.

- I can imagine.. Listen, I wanted to ask you if you wanna meet up somewhere when you get back?

- Sure I will, but what's this about all of a sudden? It's not like you to be so forward. Is there something going on?

- Eh? No, no there's nothing, I'm just bored... And besides, it gets so quiet without your loud self around, you know?

Sasuke's words sounded a little forced, which made Naruto doubt them more than he was willing to let on.

- Okaay, if you say so.. But where do you wanna meet?

- You can come over to my place to begin with. I know a place we can go to- to.. hang out.

Naruto quirked a brow in suspicion at his friend's obviously cut-off sentence, but again, he decided against commenting on it, something he was an expert at.

- Alright then. I'm not completely sure what day we're going back, but either two or three days from now is what my aunt said. Anyway, let's talk about something else. Did you see the new episode of that funny show you said you liked yesterday?

He heard Sasuke sigh into his phone.

- Naruto, I told you the name of it like a hundred times already...

The conversation continued in a similarly light-hearted manner, until Naruto heard Minami call for him from somewhere further inside the house.

- Well, I gotta go now, before auntie goes mad, he stated jokingly, even though he felt very reluctant to hang up.

- I understand.. Ah, about meeting up; I actually..., Sasuke began, but got cut off.

- By the way, I might be bringing a friend with me to Konoha.. if things go well. I'm looking forward to it! the blond pointed out excitedly, just having remembered about it.  
- Oh, sorry.. You were saying?

- Nah, it's nothing, don't worry about it.. I see, that sounds nice. Remember to introduce him, or her, to me then, and make sure to contact me so I know if you're home or not.

- Hm.. Okay _mom_, I'll call you in two days. Bye!

- See you.

"Gosh, I miss his voice.. Eh, wait, huh? What am I thinking? Just where did _that_ come from?!"

Blushing furiously, the boy shoved the phone, which now felt warm in his hand, back into his pocket. He had to take a deep breath to will the blush away enough so that he could go find his aunt. As he left the hallway, however, he was hit with a strong feeling, which forced him to stop in his tracks.

He did not only miss his friend's voice, he missed the boy himself.. very much so, to an extent that it felt unnatural even to him. He missed him with his whole being.

Placing a hand on his chest, he could clearly feel the rapid beating of his heart, which desperately longed for the person he'd just talked to. He didn't understand it though.

"W-what is this? Why do I get so excited thinking about seeing Sasuke again? Is it normal to miss him this much?"

His conversation with Yuiko the day before returned to him.

_- You know, there's something I've been wondering about. You mentioned before that that boy kissed you once-_

_- Ahh! Why do we have to talk about this again? Can't you just.. forget about it?_

_Yuiko smirked knowingly, which only irritated him further._

_- The fact that you get so worked up over it can only mean one thing, hehe.. But let me put it this way: Did you honestly dislike that kiss? Cause if you didn't, it probably means something.. Don't you think?_

_Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but was left gaping as he couldn't come up with an answer._

_If he was to be perfectly honest, he did not remember it that well.. Somehow, his memories of the kiss were.. fuzzy. Probably because he had consciously tried to block it out and to forget about it. But of course he'd disliked it, right? They were both boys, after all._

_Just as he was about to explain that to his cousin, they were interrupted by Minami who appeared in the doorway, surprising both of them and putting an end to their little talk._

"Why.. do I get the feeling I wouldn't have been able to say it anyway? Did I really not hate it?"

As he absent-mindedly walked to where he'd heard his aunt's voice come from earlier, he desperately tried to recall how he'd truly felt when Sasuke had kissed him, disregarding any awkwardness that action might have caused.

- Ah, there you are. What took you so long? Minami asked, barely sparing him a glance as she was busy baking cookies, probably for the guests they were having in the evening.

Naruto was a little startled at hearing her voice all of a sudden, having been so immersed in his own trail of thoughts. Pulling himself back to reality, he adjusted his glasses slightly and faced his aunt.

- Sorry auntie, I just got a phone call. So, what did you need help with?

- I was wondering if you could help me move the table in the living room into the dining room?

- Sure, but where's everyone else?

- Oh, I just sent them out for some 'missions'. Yuiko is always saying how she can't bake anything, so I agreed to do it for her, but I think it would be a bit hard to bake a cake with the little baking equipments she has in the house, so she said she'd go buy one instead. And the other two are out buying some things as well. Maybe it wasn't so smart to send both men out at the same time in case I'd need help with something like this, but at least I have you around now, right?

She smiled a little cheekily at him as she removed her baking gloves, reminding Naruto of a certain daughter of hers.

Shrugging, he replied:

- I guess.. But you know what? You never told me exactly who's coming over..

- Well, I don't think you remember any of them. They're just some distant relatives of yours, so you shouldn't worry about it.

- Hmm.. Fine, I guess I can accept that. Let's go move that table!

Shortly afterwards, he was once again left alone with his thoughts, but this time there were no distractions. Relaxing on his bed in the guest room he'd been using for the past two weeks, he closed his eyes to concentrate on remembering that day at the Uchiha household.

Slowly but surely, he was able to recall that feeling he'd had when Sasuke's behaviour had suddenly changed. He'd been scared, freaked out, but most of all shocked at how the boy had seemed like an entirely different person. The kiss.. it had been.. tentative, unexperienced, yet.. he hadn't hated it. In fact, he could now admit to himself that he'd enjoyed it very much, despite how quickly he'd ended it back then and despite how confused he'd felt after it had happened. That could only mean one thing..

"Yuiko was right, wasn't she? I probably do have feelings for Sasuke.."

He absently put a finger to his lips, tracing the surface in a dazed motion as his head displayed memories of their time together as friends, as well as all the times he'd felt strange around the other boy. Really, his own feelings should have been even more obvious than the fact that Sasuke was in love with _him_. How could he not have realized sooner that it was mutual?

"It's.. it's not too late now, is it? I need to meet Sasuke as soon as possible so can I confirm these feelings.. I have to be sure this time, so I don't end up hurting him again."

Shaking his head to avoid letting himself go on a guilt trip, he shifted his eyes, which were now sharpened with determination, towards the phone lying on his desk, forgotten. Now that he knew what the most probable truth was, he was not going to make any more mistakes by misjudging his own or other people's feelings. It was time to stop being blind and see things as they were, not in way a which was most comfortable for him.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think Sasuke wanted to say before he was interrupted? Not so hard to guess, I believe :D**

**Yes, I know this was another boring, very-long-wait chappie, but it was necessary for the story to advance AND the good news is... it'll likely be the last boring one! I'm kicking up the pace from now on, so things will really start happening. Isn't it great that those two are finally gonna see each other again?**

**I'll also do my best to keep my promise to be more active when there is time and update faster. Hopefully, the fact that the coming chappies are more.. eventful will keep me motivated. If not, you can scold me all you want. No really, I don't mind if you do. xD  
**

**Hmm.. Don't think I have anything else to say but uh.. Happy (very late) New Year! :D**


	19. Tidal Wave

**Chapter 19: _'Tidal Wave'_**

- Phew, that's the last of it, Naruto exhaled as he put down a large box full of food packed in lunchboxes on the floor of his cramped apartment. He would've had a lot less to bring home had Minami not strongly insisted he would take some leftovers (or _all _the leftovers, to be precise) from the day before to eat during what was left of the holidays, and if possible, to save for school later. He supposed her worrying about his eating habits was inevitable, especially as he mostly lived on ramen alone, not that she was aware of that of course. Furthermore, now there were two mouths to be fed for a while, as he had managed to convince the staff of Imamura Orphanage as well as Gaara's sister to let Gaara go on a little trip and follow him to Konoha. In other words, they would be living together for roughly two weeks, until Gaara had to go back for school. Granted, Temari had come along as well, but she had rented a motel room not too far away from Naruto's apartment and she could only stay for two days.

Naruto was excited about the whole ordeal and he couldn't wait to show his new friend around in his usually green, albeit currently white, little village. Gaara hadn't said too much about the trip himself, but Naruto had seen the hint of excitement in his eyes when he'd first suggested it and it wasn't like he'd opposed the idea either. The blond would make sure to make his first real travel into a memorable experience, whatever it took.

Gaara followed suit by placing his borrowed bag next to Naruto's half-empty gym bag, glancing around curiously as he did so.

"I'm glad I cleaned the place up a bit before I left," Naruto thought, scratching his head as he watched Gaara's almost unchangeable expression.

- Sorry, it's not very big since I live alone, he said apologetically, pulling the other boy's attention away from his surroundings for a brief moment.

- No, it's more than enough, Gaara assured him, giving off that usual monotone vibe, before continuing his silent scrutinizing of the apartment.

- Anyway, I was thinking I can take the couch so you can use the bed. It's at least more comfortable than the couch.

Gaara was once again silent, but Naruto, who had already gotten used to his slow responses, waited patiently. His gut feeling told him that Gaara was the type of person who often had the need to digest words for a while before truly understanding what was asked of him; in other words, he was quite a bit more spacey than he looked. However, at the same time, he also appeared to be very intelligent. Naruto felt lucky to be able to read people as well as he could, since otherwise, he knew that he definitely wouldn't have been able to communicate properly with his new, shy friend. As long as he knew what the problem was, a little awkwardness was something he could get accustomed to easily. The problem was that Gaara wasn't used to being friendly with other people and for this reason, he'd developed traits that lone wolves had the tendency of exhibiting. It took time for him to warm up, but that was okay, because knowing that he wasn't going to push him away, that he did appreciate him as a friend, made it all worthwhile for Naruto. He had prepared himself mentally to tackle the hurdle that was Gaara's outer shell.

His face lighting up in full understanding of Naruto's suggestion, Gaara finally replied;

- There isn't any need for that. You should be allowed to use your own bed. Please don't mind me.

He was looking a bit bothered, but Naruto merely flashed him a smile, shrugging helplessly.

- Don't be so modest. You're a guest now, aren't you?

- I suppose.. Still..

- No excuses! Come, let me show you where the bedroom is, the blond said, unfalteringly grabbing the bag lying next to his on the floor and walking off in the direction of said room with the other boy reluctantly trailing behind.

After convincing his guest to use the bedroom instead of him during his stay, Naruto quickly did a tour of the rest of his apartment, though there wasn't a lot to show. Finally, winding up back in the nearly non-existent entryway, he took the box of lunchboxes and carried it into the kitchen, placing it on the table in the middle of the room as he continued his one-sided chatting.

- So I guess the most important thing to say is that you should make yourself comfortable and just pretend that you're at home. You don't need to ask if there's anything you want, just grab it! The fridge is pretty empty, but we can go grocery shopping later if you want and you'll get to see where the closest store is. For tomorrow I was thinking of showing you around Konoha. Sounds good?

Gaara, having listened intently the whole time, nodded once.

- Yes.

- Good. Just tell me if there's anything else you wanna do. I haven't really got anything planned out, since I want you to choose activities for these two weeks. Anything is fine! I guess Temari-san will be with us for two days though?

- She did say so.

Naruto scratched his chin in contemplation.

- Then I think it would probably be better to go to some fancier place if we're gonna eat out with her. I don't know of any myself, but I'll ask my aunt.

He paused for a moment, glancing at the wall clock, which revealed that it was just about five in the evening.

- Hm, it's already this late.. Let's eat before we go out, okay?

- Sure.

Rummaging through the box, Naruto pulled out two homemade lunchboxes and grinned.

The following day, they met up with Gaara's sister outside the apartment complex. Naruto began guiding the two siblings around at a leisurely pace, showing them places like the nearest park, the mall and other parts of the village which were good for strolls, stopping only when Temari found some peculiar, little store which sold ancient fans. Once they became hungry, the 'guide' led them to a Chinese restaurant which Minami had recommended, hoping secretly to himself that they also served his favorite dish.

- So, what are you guys planning to do after I go back? Temari inquired as she chewed thoughtfully on a meatbun.

Swallowing his mouthful of ramen, which he had been happy to find out that they indeed served, Naruto replied;

- Well, we don't really know yet. I was thinking of letting Gaara decide, but he hasn't said anything, so feel free to give a suggestion if there's anything you think he might like.

He threw a helpless glance at his friend, who was mainly poking at his food with his chopsticks, only taking a small bite every now and then, seemingly not paying much heed to the light conversing going on around him.

Temari shrugged, completely unfazed by her little brother's lack of communication.

- Yeah, that's just how he is. But really, I think anything you decide on doing will be interesting for him, since he hasn't traveled before. He's not picky either, trust me, I know. We're the same in that sense.

Naruto nodded knowingly, lightly observing the quiet redhead.

- And make sure to call me if he becomes too difficult, Temari added in a playful tone, giving Gaara a light push on the arm.

At that, Naruto let out a laugh.

- Yeah, but I don't think the chances for that are very high. I'm sure we'll manage.

Temari poked her brother's cheek, forcing him to turn his head to look at her.

- Gaara, don't cause any trouble and try to talk to Naruto so he'll understand you better. He's not me or Kankuro, he can't read your mind, you know. Also, remember to eat properly. I don't want you to come back sick. You hear?

Gaara looked as if he wanted to roll his eyes, yet refrained.

- Fine.

His sister, however, didn't hold back and openly rolled her eyes at him.

- I assure you he knows how to talk like a human being, but doesn't feel like it most of the time. Don't mind it or think too much of it though. Even if he doesn't sound enthusiastic, that doesn't always have to be the case. He's a good kid, just a bit hard to understand, she explained apologetically to the blond boy, who nodded again.

- I know.. It may sound strange, but I feel like I understand him a bit already. He's doesn't seem that hard to understand if you actually get to know him.

Temari let out a little sigh of relief.

- Good, then it shouldn't be a problem.

Gaara suddenly cleared his throat, seeming a bit irritated, which made Temari sweat drop.

- Sorry, sorry. I won't talk as if you aren't here anymore, don't worry. I just wanted to make sure your friend knows some essential things about you, okay?

Gaara didn't say anything, instead opting to go back to eating peacefully at his own slow pace.

Naruto met Temari's gaze and assured her quietly that everything would be fine, to which she replied with a grateful and relieved expression.

- Better get back to eating then, so Gaara doesn't have to wait for us, the blue-eyed blond said out loud, picking his half-abandoned chopsticks back up.

Temari copied his action, looking quite satisfied.

Three days after Temari's return to Kyoto, in the morning, Naruto found Gaara in the kitchen, curiously searching through the fridge. The blond stopped rubbing the sleep out of his eye at the sight, smiling happily at his friend's unsuspecting back, before cautiously, so as to not startle him, approaching.

The reason seeing Gaara act so casual in his apartment made Naruto happy was that it reminded him of how well his guest had finally managed to settle in, how comfortable he was then opposed to how he had been the first two days. He had even stopped insisting on sleeping on the couch. It was like a breath of fresh air to Naruto, who had barely been able to handle the previously stiff atmosphere surrounding the redhead. He was slowly starting to open up, showing signs that the visit had been a good idea after all. And then there was another reason the casualness was more than welcome. Something Naruto had been unwilling to bring up with Gaara previously with the notion that he was a guest and Naruto's attention should be focused mostly on him during his stay, not other people. In that moment, however, he saw a good opportunity to discuss something unrelated to Gaara being the guest he had sworn to keep entertained, something which had been nagging at the back of his mind since he'd returned to Konoha. Additionally, who was he to say the fellow orphan wasn't going to be able to enjoy it? Sometimes people took you by surprise, after all.

- Morning Gaara, he began nonchalantly, placing his hand on the other's shoulder in a friendly motion.

Despite his efforts to be careful, Gaara still jumped a little, though quickly recovered.

- Good morning, was his quiet reply as he turned his head slightly in the other boy's direction, only for his attention to return to the fridge almost instantly.

- You hungry? I don't know if there's anything other than some apples, but keep looking and you might find something somewhere in there, Naruto said, retreating his hand.

He unceremoniously seated himself on a stool not far from the fridge, grabbing one of said apples from the counter. Gaara hesitated only for a brief moment, before continuing his search.

- Listen, there's someone I want you to meet, if you don't mind.., Naruto said, trailing off slightly at the end as he carefully observed his friend.

Gaara paused. Naruto didn't know if it was just his imagination or if the other boy seemed to freeze up a little. Regardless, he didn't think Gaara was going to reply in a while, which urged him to continue.

- He's.. my best friend actually. Before I came back to Konoha, I told him I would let him meet you, so I guess there's no other option than to go see him. But if you really, really don't wanna.., I'm sure he'll understand.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, attempting to push his glasses up out of habit, only to remember that he wasn't wearing them at the moment.

Finally coming out of his daze, Gaara closed the fridge door and turned around to look at his friend. His face was expressionless, at least from what Naruto could tell from the small distance between them.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, Naruto was cut off.

- I would very much like to meet him, Gaara finally said, averting his eyes in what Naruto assumed to be embarrassment.

In a slight stupor, Naruto blinked twice, before his whole face lit up into a wide grin.

- Great! I already called him to let him know that I was home five days ago, but I didn't say much else. I'll go call him right now and we'll agree on some place to meet, okay?

Gaara nodded and his lips twitched upwards in what was probably an attempt at a smile.

Naruto needed no more encouraging. He half-skipped into the living room, grabbing his phone and flopping down on the couch, or more accurately, his temporary make-believe bed.

Sasuke replied on the second signal, almost as if he'd been holding his phone, waiting for his call. The idea made Naruto's heart skip a beat, though he knew he was most likely only fantasizing things up.

- Hey Naruto. What's up?

Naruto tried to calm his heart to avoid sounding overly enthusiastic.

- Mornin'. You up yet? I just spoke to my friend, Gaara, and he said he wants to meet you, so…

He spoke hastily, blurting everything he wanted to say at once.

- Really? Good then. Got any place in mind?

- I don't know actually, Naruto said honestly, pausing, before asking;

- What about you?

- I think I have an idea, yeah..

They decided on where to meet and when, and Naruto, feeling unnaturally awkward once again, wound up cutting the conversation short, which later made him feel a bit disappointed. But they were going to meet again soon. That was what mattered, even if Naruto couldn't have the heart-to-heart talk he wanted while Gaara was around. That could wait, he told himself. Right now what was important was taking care of his guest.

**Sasuke's PoV****:**

Having waited for weeks to see his blond friend again, Sasuke couldn't help feeling excited. In fact, had he not been an Uchiha, he probably would have been skipping through the house like a love-sick girl the entire day. Instead, he just wore a suspiciously happy grin, unable to do much to hide it even around Itachi, making his brother look at him oddly, but he didn't care. All he truly cared about was that he was going to see Naruto soon, friend or no friend tagging along. He did wonder briefly what Naruto's friend would be like, but didn't pay it too much thought. No matter what, if the Uzumaki boy had chosen him as his friend, he should be guaranteed to be a likable person.

With this thought in mind, Sasuke hurriedly went to let his mother know he was meeting with a friend and rushed out of the house without even listening to her answer.

Glancing around nervously, looking for a spiky, blond head, the raven made his way through the crowd in the mall. He stopped outside the arcade he had gone to a couple of times with Naruto in the past, still watching his surroundings intently, waiting anxiously for someone to call out to him any second.

Just as he was about to turn around to enter the arcade, in case they were already there, he heard that familiar voice which always sent a pleasant tingle through his body.

- Sasuke! Over here! Naruto shouted cheerfully, waving at him.

The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't wearing his glasses. Next to him was a stoic-looking, redheaded boy who looked to be about their age. Sasuke found himself unconsciously scrutinizing him carefully for a few seconds, before his attention shifted over to his grinning friend, causing both his heart and eyes to warm up.

- Hey, he greeted them as they came up to him, trying to act cool despite feeling the opposite.

Without wasting any time, Naruto instantly introduced them to each other.

- Gaara, Sasuke, Sasuke, Gaara, he stated simply, gesturing between them.

Sasuke and Gaara both nodded, causing Sasuke to spot the similarities between himself and Naruto's new friend.

- Nice to meet you, he said, putting on the polite air of an Uchiha.

- Same, Gaara replied monotonously, barely meeting his eyes.

- Come on, let's go inside so Gaara can try as many games as possible. He's never been to an arcade before, so this will get interesting, Naruto, the only chatterbox in the group, spoke, giving the redhead a mischievous glance, before dragging the two of them inside without protests.

As they played, Naruto spent most of his time with Gaara, seeming very eager to give him instructions and most likely happy to have found someone who was worse at the arcade games than he was. For the most part, Sasuke secretly watched the duo and the longer he did, the more he started disliking Gaara. There was something about him which unsettled the Uchiha far more than any of the blond's other friends. He didn't like the looks Gaara would give Naruto when he thought no one was watching and how close they already seemed to be. And though he wouldn't have admitted it, he felt a bit left out. Sure, Naruto occasionally came over and tried to strike up conversations with him and he knew he was doing his best humor both of them, but it was still obvious to any potential bystander that most of his attention was focused on his unnaturally quiet house guest, who in turn made no efforts to befriend Sasuke.

After having had lunch at Naruto's favorite ramen bar, since none of the other two wanted to give any suggestions for what to eat, and chatted a bit about insignificant things, Naruto had insisted that he and Gaara would follow Sasuke home, which they had done. Once they'd gotten to the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke had invited them in, but Naruto had taken a glance at Gaara, who'd looked a bit uncomfortable, before politely declining, though he had appeared a bit reluctant to do so. Hence, they had headed separate ways. Sasuke thought he'd heard Naruto mention something about he and Gaara still having things to do, but he hadn't been listening very attentively at the time, nor had he cared to ask him to specify.

He had split feelings about the meet up. Obviously, he'd been overjoyed to see Naruto again, but he also felt a bit unsatisfied. He had hoped to be able to talk to the blond a little more, but it turned out that everything he wanted to say was too awkward and seemed inappropriate to talk about with an outsider around. Of course, nothing had been solved. They still had a lot of things to discuss. The young Uchiha had expected it to end up like that the moment Naruto had mentioned his new friend over the phone. However, what he hadn't been ready for was how much it unnerved him to see the invisible gap between them remain the same. And the unnerving feeling had unexpectedly grown larger every time his eyes had accidentally locked with a pair of icy, green ones, which he had now come to hate. Yes, he was sure of one thing then. He despised Naruto's new friend. He was well aware that it was immature to put the blame on an innocent visitor for his solemn mood, even more so as said person never had actually done anything to deserve his hatred to begin with, but that awareness did nothing to squelch his hatred. He couldn't explain why even to himself, he just hated him for seemingly no good reason. He also couldn't stop himself from wishing that the boy would go home soon and that he wouldn't have to meet him again. If that made him immature, he didn't care. He wanted him gone.

Once he returned home, he was at a loss for what to do. The first thing that came to mind was to help around in the house, now that Shizune was away. Sure, Reira was prone to doing so as well, but it was much too early to go to bed and he just wanted something to do. For that reason, he went to find Setsuna, who, as he had expected, was in the kitchen, conversing with Reira over some items, feminine products, he assumed, in some catalogue. Reira noticed him enter right away, looking up with her usual, pleasant smile in place. But what he heard next shocked him.

- Hello Sasuke-kun. How did the date go? she asked unabashedly, keeping a straight face.

The raven almost tripped in shock, while his mother just looked up, gazing at him with prying eyes. Then Reira giggled, apparently finding his reaction very amusing.

- I was just joking, no need to get so tense. I know you just went out with some friends.

A look of understanding appeared in both mother and son's eyes simultaneously and Sasuke almost heaved a sigh of relief. For a moment, he had thought that Reira knew the truth about his love interest. But that was impossible, right?

- You surprised me a bit, that's all, he said, slightly defensive.

- Sorry, I just wanted to see your reaction, she replied, still smiling elegantly, though her eyes held a knowing glint, which could easily be missed at first glance.

As he tried to will the slight blush of embarrassment on his cheeks away, Sasuke pretended not to notice that look and instead noted to himself that she was more impish than she seemed, under the surface, a fact which he stored away for future reference.

- Well, was there anything you needed, Sasuke-kun? Setsuna, who had been quiet the whole time, inquired, fixing her son with a questioning gaze.

- Ah, yeah, I wanted to ask if you need help with anything? I don't really have anything to do, so..

- You don't have to.., Setsuna began, before throwing a glance behind her shoulder, seeming to change her mind.

- I suppose if you don't mind, you could take out the garbage. I keep forgetting about it, so it has been piling up a bit.

- Sure I can.

Without further ado, the youngest Uchiha quietly stepped over to the sink, leaned down to open the kitchen cabinet where he knew the garbage was gathered, and then he took the black plastic bag, tied it up and went outside to dump it in the large garbage bin outside of the fence which encircled their yard. He wasn't used to doing such tasks, but he had watched Shizune do them countless of times. It was nice to do it personally, for a change of pace.

While he was outside, clothed in outdoor clothing and all, he decided he might as well go for a stroll to gather his thoughts. There was still snow on the ground, but it wasn't particularly cold. The weather was calm and it was very silent in the vicinity, rather serene. But why did he feel anything _other than_ serenity? Why was he so worked up over Gaara? Did he really have a reason to be or was it all in his head? He couldn't stop wondering.

Having barely registered where his feet were taking him, he looked up from the ground for the first time when the streets became a little noisier and he noticed he was nearing the department store, which was located in the neighboring district. He felt himself frown at the sudden, unwelcome bustling, the urge to turn and go somewhere else to think growing as a little, giggling girl rushed by, narrowly avoiding to bump into him, her father, presumably, chasing her, frantically yelling at her to stop running away. Throwing a lazy, disinterested glance in the direction of the revolving doors to the department store, he froze in the spot as he saw an unexpected scene.

Two familiar figures were less than a hundred meters away from him. To be specific, they were the two people he had spent time with less than an hour earlier. There wasn't anything too suspicious about seeing them there, coming out of the large, public building, however, what truly made the blood in his veins boil was the way they were interacting with each other, how.. close they were, literally. The blond was slightly leaning on the redhead's shoulder. It was very slight, almost unnoticeable. Had he not been so intently boring his eyes into the pair, he wouldn't have noticed it either. At first, he wasn't sure even the two of them were aware of it, seeing as they seemed to be in their own little world. One thing was clear though. Gaara was evidently a lot more friendly when he was alone with Naruto. He was actually _speaking _to the blond properly, not just giving one-word answers.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as the two slowly got closer to him. They had yet to notice him. He considered his options; Openly expose himself or hide and follow them? Then he realized how silly that sounded. Why would he need to follow them?

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the way that bastard is looking at _my_ best friend? Why does he look not only uncomfortable, but actually kind of embarrassed and _glad_ to have Naruto so close? Isn't that how _I _feel around him? What exactly is going on between these two..?!"

He didn't have time to think further, before Gaara's ever-cold eyes suddenly turned to stare directly at him. For a brief moment, the redhead looked surprised, but then he poked his friend on the shoulder and pointed at Sasuke. Bewildered, Naruto came to a halt and followed his gaze. Since the streets were still rather sparsely populated, it took him barely two seconds to pinpoint the raven.

- Sasuke! What are you doing out here? he questioned, his voice high-pitched.

He was obviously startled at seeing the friend he had separated from mere moments before appear in front of him suddenly, like a human boomerang.

But Sasuke wasn't watching him. He couldn't tear his sharp gaze away from the person next to him, whose breathing seemed to come easier when the blond unconsciously moved a step away from him and gave him a bit more personal space, while at the same time, he looked a bit disappointed at the lack of touch. Sasuke could tell, because his expression was torn and he had the strong feeling that it resembled the one he would have whenever he was that close with Naruto. He knew what he was seeing. He knew and it angered him to no end. He couldn't accept that Naruto was living with someone who obviously had.. romantic feelings towards him. How was he supposed to trust that they were only friends after seeing something which looked like such a private moment? Scratch that, just the fact that Naruto had even brought him to Konoha had to mean something. They had to be more than friends.

No longer in control of either body or emotions, he marched up to them, grabbed his shocked friend's wrist harshly and, with determination which felt more like blind rage, he began pulling him away, far away from the other boy. He couldn't think straight. He felt sick. He needed to pour his feelings out. He couldn't keep quiet anymore. And most of all, he _had_ to get Naruto away from Gaara. Was this what jealousy felt like?

**Naruto's PoV****:**

For some seconds, Naruto could do nothing but stare at his apparently furious best friend as he was dragged away. Sasuke's head was turned away from him, but with his hand holding onto him, he could tell his whole body was trembling in anger. He gulped as a shiver ran down his spine. Forcefully, he broke free of his stupor and began struggling against the offending hand, gritting his teeth in the process. Unsurprisingly though, it was hopeless. The other boy was stronger than him, by far. So he could only resign himself to his fate. Recognizing this with a heavy sigh, he whipped his head back to his other friend, who had been left standing with an oversized plastic bag in his hand, confusion and shock written all over his usually emotion-free face.

- Gaara, you can start going back home. Don't worry, I won't be long! Naruto shouted, trying to keep his voice as composed as possible despite the obvious anxiety he felt.

When he saw the redhead nod and hesitantly start dragging his feet in the opposite direction he was being taken, his attention returned to Sasuke, his eyes glaring an imaginary hole into his back.

Why? What was going on? He had only gone to buy some things with Gaara, mainly since, frankly, they were both getting a bit sick of lunchbox food, and he'd been happy when the boy had spoken more openly with him than usual, showing once again that he was making progress in their friendship. When they'd left the department store, he'd begun feeling some returning weariness from sleeping on the lumpy couch, and thus, he'd casually leaned onto his friend for support, not bothering to pull away as he hadn't seemed to mind it. The mood had been pleasant as far as he could tell though, the two of them even having involved in some lighthearted bickering which had more resembled normal chatting, when Sasuke suddenly had reappeared. And now this. He felt he had every right to be angry for this unreasonable behavior, but his own anger was diminished while facing Sasuke's overwhelming fury. In the end, he couldn't feel anything but confusion and apprehension as the one holding him in a firm grip pulled him along across the increasingly unpopulated streets for what felt like an eternity.

- Sasuke? he tried eventually, after a long couple of minutes.

- Sasuke! Talk to me. What do you think you're doing?

Growing irritation could be heard in his voice, but the other boy still refused to budge, keeping silent.

At last, he came to an abrupt stop, before proceeding to haul Naruto into some empty alley, roughly pushing him against a very cold, rugged and gray brick wall.

- Ouch! Naruto exclaimed, rubbing his lower back and wincing from the pain.

Showing no mercy, Sasuke slammed both hands on the wall, trapping the blond's head in between them. For the first time, Naruto could get a full view of the raven's face, which led him to a double take. He stared in fear at his friend whom he could barely recognize, whose nostrils were flaring and pupils dilated. He had never seen him so angry before. Again, he gulped, his gaze flickering nervously. He wanted to run away from this stranger, but was frozen in place.

Finally, the Uchiha spoke, but his voice came out as growl.

- You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?

- Wha-

Naruto was instantly silenced.

- Do you have any idea how it feels? I could deal with it before, but this is going too far!

He was already shouting, his voice steadily rising in volume, blazing eyes never leaving his crush, and his whole person was oozing with desperation and frustration. He had had enough and was ready to explode, that much was clear even to the occasionally slow-witted blond.

- You bring a 'friend' here and expect me to believe there's nothing going on? Come on, don't be stupid! I can see the way he looks at you! And just now.. Just now, you were being so close! You haven't ever been that close with me and I've known you much longer than that guy has! Why do you keep doing this to me? You know I still have feelings for you, right? Isn't it obvious?! I thought maybe you were just disgusted because I'm a guy, but now you've found someone else, who is also a guy? And you just casually introduce him to me to as if it's no big deal! How is this fair?!

When his rant was over, his head slouched, his breathing heavy and uneven.

His voice had cracked at the end, and for an instant, Naruto had seen that familiar hurt in his eyes, intenser than ever, causing his own heart to throb. The arms blocking his escape route were still in place, but significantly loosening up by the second. If he'd wanted to, he could have easily pushed them aside and bolted. That was, if he wanted to. But he didn't. How could he possibly leave his friend in that state? Especially as he was the _cause _of it?

He didn't dare make a sound. He could hardly breathe, much less speak or let his mind wander enough to wrap around all that Sasuke was accusing him of. All he could do was to owlishly stare at the distressed teen in front of him, feeling horribly awkward and tactless. Minutes went by in this manner. The air around them was so thick, even a sword made to slice through stone would have forfeited at the sheer sight of it.

"Snap out of it, Naruto!" he thought finally, mentally giving himself a slap. "Okay, I know I have caused him a lot of pain.. and that's exactly what I'm going to make up to him for! But.. he has clearly misunderstood _quite_ a bit here.. How to convince him that he's wrong?"

Then, he thought of something and couldn't help the smile from slowly forming, starting from his small, obscure dimples, spreading all the way across his whisker-like cheek marks to his impossibly blue eyes, making them twinkle in anticipation. It was perfect. It was the only thing he could think of, really. And besides, if it had worked on him, why not on Sasuke?

- Sasuke, look at me, he said, cautiously, but firmly, almost demanding.

There was no reaction. He wasn't sure whether Sasuke was too lost in his own misery to pay attention, or if his words had fallen on deaf ears. Either way, he wasn't discouraged.

- I said, he began, leaning in to the point that his mouth nearly touched the other's ear.  
- ..look at me.

Sasuke started at the sudden warm breath hovering right beside him, giving Naruto the desired response as he jerked up to meet his visible eye, frowning at the unreadable expression now covering the blond's face.

- Why- was all that the raven had the time to utter before that same face parted from his ear and came into front view as a close-up, leaning in further until he felt like he could not only see, but also ingest the sweet, mint- and strawberry-scented breath mingling with the chilliness of winter climate, making his mind go blank and rendering him unable to avert his eyes from the plump lips he had dreamt of countless of times, and yet only gotten to taste once.

Next, the most unavoidable, though remarkable, thing happened. Without an ounce of hesitation, Naruto stood on his tiptoes, grabbed the back of Sasuke's neck, to prevent him from pulling away and at the same time, bringing him down, closer to him. Then, he demolished the last, tiny bit of space between them, tenderly pressing his own lips against the pale, tense ones he had come to think of more and more recently. His colorful irises visibly swirled with resolve and other, various, indescribable emotions, before his eyelids drifted shut to allow him to focus only on the feeling of being connected, skin by skin, if only a little, to the one he loved from within the deepest recesses of his heart, disregarding the fact that Sasuke had yet to reciprocate his advances. It didn't matter, right then. He knew exactly how the other boy felt about him. All he wanted was to convey the message that he felt the same, about him, only him, no one else.

After an indefinite amount of time, he stepped away and freed the other boy of his hold on him, softly smiling, the only evidence of his bold action being his slightly reddened cheeks. Sasuke just stared at him, completely dumbfounded. Unlike Naruto, his whole face was basically on fire and he looked to be on the verge of sputtering in embarrassment and wonder.

Yes, a kiss. Because there could never be any better way of trying to prove your love and devotion to someone, neither in the past, in the present, nor in the future, than to pour all that affection into the object of your desire. Moreover, Sasuke was one who preferred showing feelings through actions, rather than words, while Naruto, himself, was quite reversible. In that situation, to him, it had seemed to be the most natural, obvious choice for a lead in to a confession. This way, Sasuke was bound to believe his sincerity, sooner or later. He knew him well enough to stay calm and collected and reassured as the following words passed his lips.

- I don't know how you even got that idea to begin with. Maybe it's just that I've made you wait long enough that you start seeing things that aren't even there. But whatever you may think, I promise, there's nothing going on between me and Gaara at all. He's really just my friend.. You're the only one I love.

The word 'love' was unfamiliar to him, though it rolled off his tongue with more ease than he'd expected.

- I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it. I made you suffer while I was being stubborn and stupid. I'll.. I'll make it up to you, definitely. Ask anything of me. If it's you, I don't mind.

Nervosity and the awkwardness of the situation finally reaching him, he started fidgeting, scratching at his cheek, trying to look anywhere but at the boy in front of him, who was openly gaping, standing stiff like a rock as he took his sweet time to register his confession.

After what felt like a decade, the Uchiha pulled himself together enough to mumble something incoherent.

- Sorry, what did you say?

- What you said just now.. Did you really mean it? Sasuke clarified, his voice barely above a whisper, giving the impression that he was afraid of breaking some illusion in his mind.

Sensing Sasuke's uncertainty, Naruto's determination to get his point across rose again and he gazed into the depths of those dark, skeptical orbs, willing his heart to calm down and his voice not to quiver.

- Of course I did. I don't know how to prove it to you so you will believe me, but I really did mean it. I know I can't ever feel this way about anyone else. It has to be you.

They stood in silence for a moment, gazing at each other, both blushing hotly despite the season.

Naruto barely had the time to react as Sasuke suddenly, out of the blue, lunged forward, closing the half meter distance between them while ungracefully pushing him up against the wall. He did, however, make a muffled noise of surprise as their mouths came into contact for the second time that day, his eyes widening considerably. Before long, the raven's lips were desperately moving against his, his tongue asking for entrance, which he was more than happy to give. Parting his lips ever so slightly, Naruto could feel the other's tongue brush past them, probingly exploring the insides of his mouth until he began entwining his own with it, which caused a shiver of pleasure to run down his spine.

It was their first real kiss, one which was mutual, willing and partaking on both ends. It was completely different, in a good way, of course. It was filled with rampant teenage hormones, but there was also something else. Something much deeper. And as Naruto feverishly clinged on to the other boy, wrapping his arms around his neck, he instinctively knew they both could feel it.

They only parted when the need for air grew unbearable. Panting heavily, feeling the cold air enter their lungs, they stayed close and kept glancing at each other, neither wanting to loose that connection entirely.

Eventually, Sasuke spoke up, his voice hoarse and lips chapped.

- Does this mean that.. we're going out now? he inquired in a kind of funny, quizzical tone, his eyes slightly glazed over as he watched the blond.

Naruto smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in slight amusement as he fondly, albeit a bit teasingly, stroked the side of Sasuke's face, noticing how the other boy's irises followed the movement of his hand.

- Of course. That is, unless you don't want to, he stated with confidence, purposefully provoking the other teen.

Sasuke's reply came in the form of another kiss, lightly planted on his mouth.

- Consider it a deal, he murmured, grinning, before once again covering the blond's soft lips with his own, wrapping his strong arms around his lithe waist, pulling him closer.

Naruto almost melted into his touch, but being as competitive as he was, he refused to loose, thus returned his friend-turned-lover's kiss aggressively, eyebrows knitting in concentration as his hands buried into the black tresses of his hair.

Their tongues battled each other hungrily, the two teens occasionally sending stifled groans into the mouths of one another. It wasn't until Sasuke's hand unconsciously began a slow downward travel that Naruto pulled away, grabbing said hand, taking it into his instead of letting it wander.

- This is nice and all, but isn't it a little.. too early for something like _that_? he queried uneasily, averting his eyes bashfully, a delicate blush adorning his cheeks even as he tried to laugh it off like it was nothing but a joke.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he paled with dread, the shade of red on his face simultaneously managing to deepen to a notable extent, as he realized what he had been doing, or more correctly, what his hand had been doing without his consent. Naruto looked at him seriously for a brief moment, before letting out a giggle.

- It's fine. I just thought I'd let you know, he said, smiling as innocently as ever.

Sasuke's muscles relaxed and he sighed in relief.

- Only kissing, I know, he agreed.

And Naruto trusted that he'd never truly had anything else in mind.

They remained tangled, lost in their own world, for a long time, reveling in their partly new found feelings. The next time their lips met, it was still passionate, but loaded with a different kind of need than the kiss before. It didn't last long though, and subsequently, Naruto found himself content with just leaning on the taller male, his head resting on his shoulder as he was held in a feather-light embrace. He never wanted to let go.

Their breathing had slowed to a steady rhythm, but Naruto could still hear, as well as feel, the pounding of both of their hearts. Two hearts that had joined as one, two boys whose journey had just begun. They were bound to encounter bumps on the road, but together they could overcome them.

* * *

**Holy shit, this was a long chapter. I really do hope you guys are pleased with it. This bit, particularly the end, was something I'd truly looked forward to writing, but somehow, I kept postponing it. You understand how it is, right? I hope.. Anyway, it was pretty fun to write, but I truly pushed myself to the limits here to make it as good as I possibly could have. Editing this kinda long chapter is also a real pain in the butt. Perhaps the length of it can be considered an apology for, once again, being extremely late with getting it up though? Maybe. But really, I just wanted to make this confession scene as good as possible and I ended up adding some extra scenes I'd never thought of before. The result of all this hard work? I don't know, I'll let you guys judge that.**

**I know the PoVs are a bit mixed here, at the end. Not everything is written from Naruto's perspective. I did this on purpose though, as I thought it would suck not to show Sasuke's feelings a bit more clearly as well. **

**And yep, Gaara has a crush on Naruto. Surprise, surprise.**

**I hope you guys will stick with me til the end of this fic. The climax is slowly drawing near, but there are still things that need to be resolved! **

**Well then, thanks, as usual, for being patient with my tardiness. -Bows deeply-**

**The next chappie will, hopefully, be a bit more lighthearted and cute. But drama has a way with finding these two sooner or later... That said, please look forward to the next chapter! :3**


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